Crawford best of Kiwis at IRONMAN World Championship

Australia’s Mirinda Carfrae produced the greatest run of her life to secure her third title at the IRONMAN World Championship presented by GoPro in Hawaii yesterday.

Carfare’s win confirmed her status as one of the all-time greats when she overcame a deficit of nearly 15 minutes on the back of another withering marathon run.

She becomes just the fourth women to win three titles or more, joining American Paula Newby Fraser (eight), Swiss Natascha Badmann (six) and Great Britain’s Chrissie Wellington (four).

New Zealand’s Gina Crawford continued her consistently strong effort in Hawaii, finishing eighth in 9:19.21 and ahead of a number of big names including top American hope Mere Beth Ellis and last year’s podium placegetter Liz Blatchford (AUS).

Auckland amateur Melanie Burke finished in a creditable 26th place in her first world championship in the professional ranks.

It was not such good news for the men with both Terenzo Bozzone and Bevan Docherty withdrawing on the bike.

The brilliant 2:50:26 marathon run was among the fastest overall today and took 12 seconds off her record marathon last year, and she has finished on the podium in all six starts at Kona-Kailua.

"It's massive - Crowie Alexander is one of the guys who helped me get to this place," she said.

"So to equal his three times here is amazing."

"To join the likes of Paula Newby-Fraser, Chrissie Wellington, Natascha Badmann - legends of our sport - to put my name up there, unbelievable."

"I couldn't have written this script better."



Carfrae’s win also extended Australia’s dominance of the sports most prestigious title, an Australian has won the men's or women's IRONMAN World Championship every year since 2006.

Today she exited the 3.8km swim with a five minute deficit to a group of women including current IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion, Swiss Daniela Ryf and Great Britian’s Rachel Joyce who was second to Carfrae at last year’s race.

That lead ballooned to over 14 minutes before her remarkable run secured her third victory.

Ryf held on for second, two minutes behind Carfrae with Joyce a further 90 seconds back in third.

The men’s race was dominated by the European charge early, with two-time IRONMAN  70.3 champion Sebastian Kienle (GER) taking charge on the bike, opening up a telling buffer that led to his maiden victory in 8:14.18.

The German finished five minutes clear of American Ben Hoffman with current IRONMAN 70.3 Asia Pacific champion Jan Frodeno powering home for third in his first attempt in Hawaii. Frodeno, engaged to Beijing Olympic Gold Medallist Emma Snowsill, lives in the Sunshine Coast.

Best Australian was Tim van Berkel, another to prosper on the run, finishing seventh, nine minutes behind the winner.

Results:
Men: Sebastian Kienle (GER) 8:14.18, 1; Ben Hoffman (USA) 8:19.23, 2; Jan Frodeno (GER) 8:20.32, 3.
Women: Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 9:00.55, 1; Daniela Ryf (CHE) 9:02.58, 2; Rachel Joyce (GBR) 9:04.23, 3. Also: Gina Crawford (NZL) 9:19.21, 8; Melanie Burke (NZL) 9:54.04, 26.

CAPTION: Australian Mirinda Carfrae celebrates victory in Hawaii today.
Credit: Delly Carr
Details: www.ironman.com