Ironman Louisville Results 2011

As race day approached it looked like it would be just a handful of favorites looking to top the Ironman Louisville results 2011

There are many things about Ironman Louisville that make it a very unique member of the Ironman family that has grown to around 30 races around the world as the 2011 edition of this event takes place.

The race takes place in and around much of Louisville's most scenic areas that include the city of LaGrange, Waterfront park and Oldham and Henry Counties.

It's a point-to-point swim that has a very unique format. So unique in fact that I believe it is the only Ironman race in the world that has this method of swim start.

It's actually a time trial swim start where it's first come first served. The swim begins with age-group triathletes jumping off the dock at Tumbleweed Southwest Grill to begin the swim and making their way to Great Lawn 2.4 miles away.

The pros will start as a group before the age-groupers his the water.

The swim sees the competitors swim against the current alongside Towhead Island before heading back down to transition with the current.

Just a little different than the 3000+ plus mass swim start at Ironman Canada that takes place the day as Louisville.

The bike course is two loops and cyclists have until 6 p.m. to finish the Ironman Louisville bike course or they will not be allowed to begin the run. Triathletes will pass by the Lousiville Slugger factory, the University of Louisville, and Churchill Downs home of the Kentucky Derby.

The run is also 2-loops and the finish line is at Fourth Street Live and may be one of the most impressive finish line areas in the world of Ironman.

The temperatures are predicted to be a little less hot than previous years.

PRO MENPaul AmbroseChris McDonaldRomain GuillaumeJustin DaerrPatrick EvoeDaniel BretscherDave HarjuRichard WygandLogan FranksIvan AlbanoBojan Maric

Paul Ambrose has been having a great season and is the returning to Lousiville to defend his title and is the favorite going into the race.

PRO WOMEN

Nina KraftJacqui GordonCindy LewisTerra CastroMarie DanaisMarilyn McDonaldAmanda McKenzieDonna PhelanStephanie JonesHillary Biscay

The women's race may come down to Hillary Biscay and Nina Kraft who appear to be the favorites in the field.

On the men's side it is hard to go against Paul Ambrose who is having a great year. It really appears to be a three-man race with Chris McDonald and Romain Guillaume the other two most serious podium threats as the race begins.

THE RACE

As the athletes reach the swim/bike transition, the race is already unfolding the way you would think it would with all the pre-race favorites in both pro categories at of near the front.

TOP TEN MEN IN THE SWIM1 47:10 3 Romain Guillaum Montmorot FRA2 47:13 0:03 1 Paul Ambrose Boulder CO AUS3 51:47 4:37 2 Chris McDonald Tucson AZ AUS4 53:39 6:29 4 Justin Daerr Boulder CO USA5 54:16 7:07 6 Patrick Evoe Austin TX USA6 55:25 8:15 9 Dave Harju Quebec QC CAN7 55:42 8:32 12 Ivan Albano J Mogi Mirim BRA8 57:37 10:27 13 Bojan Maric Clermont FL9 1:02:27 15:17 11 Logan Franks Plattsburgh NY USA10 1:03:38 16:28 10 Richard Wygand Wellington FL BRA

TOP TEN WOMEN IN THE SWIM1 50:14 21 Nina Kraft Clermont FL2 50:15 0:01 35 Hillary Biscay Tucson AZ USA3 54:07 3:54 24 Jackie Arendt Madison WI4 54:52 4:39 30 Donna Phelan Encinitas CA CAN5 55:40 5:26 27 Marie Danais Quebec City QC CAN6 57:41 7:28 26 Terra Castro Austin TX USA7 1:01:24 11:10 32 Stephanie Jones Dulles VA USA8 1:02:16 12:02 28 Marilyn McDonald Tucson CO CAN9 1:02:18 12:04 25 Cindy Lewis Toronto ON CAN10 1:02:21 12:08 29 Amanda McKenzie Bend OR AUS

As expected, the bike saw the two top male pro favorites begin to put a gap between themselves and thrid place as they reach they leave the run/bike transition.

TOP FIVE MEN AT THE END OF THE BIKE1 5:29:47 2 Chris McDonald Tucson AZ AUS2 5:29:49 0:03 1 Paul Ambrose Boulder CO AUS3 5:35:53 6:07 6 Patrick Evoe Austin TX USA4 5:39:16 9:30 4 Justin Daerr Boulder CO USA5 5:39:48 10:01 3 Romain Guillaum Montmorot FRA

TOP SEVEN WOMEN AT THE END OF THE BIKE 1 6:18:57 21 Nina Kraft Clermont FL2 6:21:38 2:41 24 Jackie Arendt Madison WI3 6:22:16 3:19 30 Donna Phelan Encinitas CA CAN4 6:22:59 4:02 28 Marilyn McDonald Tucson CO CAN5 6:25:01 6:04 26 Terra Castro Austin TX USA6 6:26:11 7:15 32 Stephanie Jones Dulles VA USA7 6:27:08 8:11 35 Hillary Biscay Tucson AZ USA

It's a bit of a surprise to see Hillary fall so far off the pace and perhaps this will not be her day, as Nina Kraft heads out onto the run with over a 3-minute lead. However when it comes to an Ironman Marathon three minutes can disappear very quickly and there are three women pros within striking distance of Nina.

As the men's race winds down, Chris MacDonald holds off Patrick Evoe who has always done well at this race and has his best finish here.

However Chris MacDonald is the winner of Ironman Lousisville 2009.1 8:27:36 2 Chris McDonald Tucson AZ AUS2 8:30:35 2:59 6 Patrick Evoe Austin TX USA3 8:34:35 6:59 4 Justin Daerr Boulder CO USA4 9:20:01 52:25 9 Dave Harju Quebec QC CAN5 9:21:39 54:03 12 Ivan Albano J Mogi Mirim BRA

Nina Kraft stays strong through-out the run and eventually it was only Jackie Arendt who challenged her, but it is not enough and Nina tops the Ironman Louisville results 2011 for the pro women.

I'm not sure what happened to Hillary Biscay. Her swim was good, but she fell off the pace out on the bike course.

THE TOP 7 PRO WOMEN FINISHERS1 9:38:14 21 Nina Kraft Clermont FL2 9:40:28 2:14 24 Jackie Arendt Madison WI3 9:52:40 14:27 32 Stephanie Jones Dulles VA USA4 10:01:34 23:21 30 Donna Phelan Encinitas CA CAN5 10:02:40 24:26 26 Terra Castro Austin TX USA6 10:04:14 26:00 25 Cindy Lewis Toronto ON CAN7 10:06:47 28:33 28 Marilyn McDonald Tucson CO CAN

TOP TEN MALE AGE-GROUPERS IN THE SWIM1 48:58 Mark Hurst 2 49:31 Bradley Gionet 3 49:40 Glen Flint 4 49:59 Pierre-Marc 5 50:04 Brian Kaminski6 50:05 John Kolstoe 7 50:09 Juan Valencia8 50:12 Travis Deckert 9 50:24 Jay Calvert 1051:51John Hauserman

TOP TEN FEMALE AGE-GROUPERS IN THE SWIM1 49:03 Haley Chura 2 51:18 Ellie Lindauer 3 51:29 Kathryn Thomas 4 51:50 Betty Janelle 5 51:57 Meghan Thiel 6 53:46 Ashley Clifford 7 54:03 Dale Colman 8 54:12 Harmony Zeller9 54:21 5:18 319 Jordan McCammond10 55:21 6:18 570 Linda Robb

TOP TEN AGE-GROUP FEMALES1 10:20:45 249 K. Grogan Minneola Estate FL USA2 10:26:50 6:05 128 Kathryn Thomas Stephens City VA USA3 10:31:36 10:51 86 Ashley Clifford Carmel IN USA4 10:32:36 11:52 485 Ashley Naelon Davidson NC USA5 10:36:59 16:14 102 Haley Chura Atlanta GA USA6 10:41:59 21:14 219 Andrea Dragone Plymouth Meetin PA USA7 10:42:02 21:18 379 Kristin Schwiege Winter Park FL USA8 10:43:12 22:27 227 Lidia Fluhme New York NY USA9 10:48:08 27:23 444 Olwen Huxley Washington DC USA10 10:48:43 27:58 284 Emily Kelly Louisville KY USA

TOP TEN AGE-GROUP MALES1 9:07:25 924 Brian Scheall Bradenton FL USA2 9:10:30 3:05 1637 Jason McMillia Cedar Park TX USA3 9:21:43 14:18 1389 Andrew Imrie Toronto ON CAN4 9:23:22 15:57 1085 Charley Massey N Topsail Beach NC USA5 9:24:39 17:14 733 Frederic Boivin Sherbrooke QC CAN6 9:26:47 19:22 754 Kristopher Spoth Polk City IA USA7 9:29:05 21:40 2180 Keish Doi Cupertino CA USA8 9:29:50 22:25 1472 Brady Dehoust Oak Hill VA USA9 9:30:59 23:34 1979 Brian Kaminski Bowling Green OH USA10 9:31:00 23:35 815 Tom Goth Poughkeepsie NY USA