Katrina Matthews wins Ironman Florida and sets new course record
Katrina Matthews took the win at Ironman Florida at Panama City Beach setting a new overall course record in the women’s event. She was more than two minutes quicker than the old record of 8:43:07, set by Yvonne Van Vlerken in 2013. Fellow Britain Ruth Astle who finished fourth posted a new bike course record of 4:33:44, beating the old record also by Van Vlerken in 2013.
The Ironman Florida race had 6 Kona Pro slots, split evenly between men and women. Kate Matthews qualified finishing in top spot but so did Ruth Astle in fourth place as the third-place finisher, Meredith Kessler had already qualified.
Early Saturday morning Florida welcomed the two British athletes for its pro IRONMAN race. Katrina Matthews approached the race with confidence after securing her first professional 70.3 win at IRONMAN 70.3 Tallinn this year, as did Ruth Astle, who turned pro this year after a phenomenal 2019 season, which saw her crowned the fastest female age-grouper at Kona. Both athletes were competing in the full race, swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles, and topped it off with a 26.22 Mile run.
For Katrina this was her first time in Florida saying “I’m so stoked. I’m here representing the team “BMC” and the British Army, and to get out racing in Florida in this amazing city.” After her win she said “To win, run a sub 3hr marathon, get the course record and edge up the fastest ever list fills me with passion for this sport!”
Kate took the top prize money of US$15,000 with Ruth winning $5,000 for fourth place.
Female Race Results
| Rank | Name | Nation | Swim | Bike | Run | Time | Diff to exp. | Prize Money |
| 1 | Katrina Matthews | GBR | 00:58:57 | 04:36:15 | 02:58:29 | 08:40:50 | -14:07 | US$ 15,000 |
| 2 | Skye Moench | USA | 01:01:52 | 04:33:44 | 03:03:50 | 08:46:35 | -21:15 | US$ 9,000 |
| 3 | Meredith Kessler | USA | 00:58:59 | 04:44:27 | 03:08:08 | 08:59:01 | -06:40 | US$ 7,000 |
| 4 | Ruth Astle | GBR | 01:05:37 | 04:32:13 | 03:18:12 | 09:04:03 | -14:40 | US$ 5,000 |
| 5 | Fiona Moriarty | IRL | 01:10:32 | 04:45:02 | 03:17:12 | 09:21:51 | n/a | US$ 4,000 |
| 6 | Lenny Ramsey | NED | 01:10:44 | 04:56:30 | 03:12:36 | 09:28:58 | 09:37 | US$ 3,000 |
| 7 | Natasha Van der Merwe | USA | 01:05:39 | 04:55:16 | 03:20:08 | 09:29:20 | -11:24 | US$ 2,500 |
| 8 | Palmira Alvarez | MEX | 01:10:38 | 04:53:17 | 03:20:54 | 09:34:44 | -26:03 | US$ 2,000 |
| 9 | Jessica Jones | USA | 01:05:02 | 04:57:13 | 03:26:55 | 09:40:36 | 04:56 | US$ 1,500 |
| 10 | Sarah Bishop | USA | 01:13:40 | 05:04:45 | 03:19:30 | 09:46:18 | n/a | US$ 1,000 |
On Facebook, Ruth wrote “Ironman Florida you were epic! And it appears I may have bagged a Kona slot!!”
She went on to say about the run “felt great for first 15k…was a massive struggle from there… may have overbiked!!”
I am sure once it sinks in Ruth will be ecstatic in the acknowledgement that she smashed the bike course record and gained a Kona spot.
TriNation Podcast Guest – Ruth Astle
It was a clean sweep for the USA in the pro-men’s race with Chris Leiferman, from Colorado holding off the sizzling 2:41:57 run by fellow U.S. star Matt Hanson to take the men’s crown at Ironman Florida in a time of 7:52:44. USA’s long-distance starlet Sam Long came in third. As with the women’s race Andreas Dreitz of Germany gets a Kona spot as third place Sam Long has already qualified.
Male Race Results
| Rank | Name | Nation | Swim | Bike | Run | Time | Diff to exp. | Prize Money |
| 1 | Chris Leiferman | USA | 00:54:40 | 04:01:50 | 02:50:29 | 07:52:44 | -09:14 | US$ 15,000 |
| 2 | Matt Hanson | USA | 00:55:17 | 04:11:24 | 02:41:57 | 07:55:02 | -14:29 | US$ 9,000 |
| 3 | Sam Long | USA | 00:55:31 | 04:07:20 | 02:45:40 | 07:55:33 | -25:34 | US$ 7,000 |
| 4 | Andreas Dreitz | GER | 00:54:02 | 04:02:57 | 02:52:58 | 07:56:51 | -06:20 | US$ 5,000 |
| 5 | Cody Beals | CAN | 00:54:02 | 04:12:52 | 02:46:24 | 07:59:55 | 08:27 | US$ 4,000 |
| 6 | Matthew Russell | USA | 00:54:39 | 04:04:25 | 03:00:44 | 08:07:35 | -02:26 | US$ 3,000 |
| 7 | Pedro Gomes | POR | 00:54:06 | 04:18:25 | 02:54:15 | 08:13:50 | -15:01 | US$ 2,500 |
| 8 | Brent McMahon | CAN | 00:53:11 | 04:14:01 | 03:00:52 | 08:14:22 | 12:35 | US$ 2,000 |
| 9 | David Plese | SLO | 00:55:27 | 04:16:48 | 03:03:06 | 08:22:54 | 11:47 | US$ 1,500 |
| 10 | Kevin Portmann | FRA | 01:01:09 | 04:16:38 | 03:06:37 | 08:31:21 | -17:23 | US$ 1,000 |
