Emma Pallant-Browne and Sam Long Power to Podium at Ironman Boulder 70.3
With the Tokyo glory of short-course Olympic Triathlon all but over it was back to the long-distance racing with the 2021 Ironman Boulder 70.3 Colorado, which saw GB’s Emma Pallant-Browne and American Sam Long power their way to the top spot on the Podium.
Nestled at the foot of the Rockies, Flatirons, Boulder, Colorado, in one of America’s hubs for elite triathletes. This race is a favourite with triathletes on the IRONMAN circuit in a city with a health-conscious culture, near-perfect weather and a breath-taking natural environment.
Aside from the money pot of $50,000 on offer (paid eight-deep) there was also up for grabs 200 qualifying slots to the 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in St George, Utah.
The World travel restrictions in place meant the majority of the athletes in the event were from the host country. Nonetheless, for those who watch the live streaming of the event, in true IRONMAN fashion, both the women and men’s races did not disappoint.
it was a tough day, on a tough course, against the best in the sport, the absolute definition of a 70.3 race!
Interest in the women’s pro-race centred on Taylor Knibb (USA) Olympic Mixed Team Relay Silver Medalist who was going into unknown territory being her first 70.3 and Great Britain’s long-course specialist, Emma Pallant-Browne, who has already this year taken victories at the 70.3 Florida and Rev 3 Williamsburg.
Womens Pro Race
Having settled into her life as a professional in Boulder where she re-joined coach Ian O’Brien’s training group to become the youngest U.S. Olympic triathlete in history at 23, it was Taylor Knibb who made all the front running in the Womens Pro Race.
Exiting the water in the 1.9km swim in a time 00:26:05 Knibbs showed her short-course swimming speed prowess being ahead of second place Pâmella Oliveira (BRA) who was hot on her heels followed by the chasing pack with Emma Pallant-Browne having a terffic swim coming out of the water in 6th place to kept her within striking distance from the get-go. Onto the 90km bike course Knibb maintain her bike breakaway lead into T2 with Jeanni Metzler (RSA) and Emma Pallant-Browne closely following behind. Both chasers having impressive half marathon results meant that Knibbs was not going to have it all her own way on the run section.
Onto the 21.1km run leg and Knibbs showed no sign of letting up but through the first 2 miles of the half marathon, Emma Pallant-Browne was running majestically and had already made up 30 secs running a 5:48, with Taylor Knibb who was still marginally ahead of her and Jeanni Metzler in third spot a little way back.
It was not long before Emma Pallant-Browne hooked onto the shoulders of Taylor Knibb then pushed on and continued to run away towards a win with a 2-minute margin of victory, from training buddies Taylor Knibb and Jeanni Metzler who were holding on as best they could with Knibb coming in second place in a time of 04:03:20 just ahead of the every improving Jeanni Metzler who took 3rd spot in a time of 04:02:32.
Emma Pallant-Browne crossed the line in 3:59:54 (unofficial), which will strike fear into all the women bound for the 70.3 World Championships in St. George, UT on Sep 17
Mens Pro Race
Sam Appleton (AUS) and Sam Long (USA) made the Pro Men’s Ironman Boulder 70.3 race match-up a memorable one. It was local boy Sam Long who would give his home state the well-deserved win having surged to the front of the bike chase pack, erasing a 3:30 deficit out of T1. However, it was front lead Sam Applewood (AUS) who was to make Sam Long work his way back to the lead.
Exiting the water first in the 1.9km swim Sam Appleton in a time of 00:24:40 almost a minute ahead the second swimmer to exit Martin Ulloa (CHL) with Sam Long in his weakest discipline lagging with the tail-ender in 27th place some 4 minutes behind the leader. Exiting T1 and Long had only moved up one position but did make up some 30 seconds of time on the leader Sam Appleton to bridge the large time gap.
Appleton a seasoned long-distance triathlete was taking advantage of his front running and was keeping up a consistent bike pace to keep ahead of the chasers. However, Sam Long was now in his watt bomb territory and began to hammer down the pace to erase his swim time deficit. And throughout the first half of the 90km bike course, he rode at a furious pace on the bike until he had caught up with the front chasers then continued on his mission to catch the leader, Sam Appleton. And catch him he did coming into transition and exiting T2 with a 11 second lead.
All down to the run and Sam Long was in pole position and having made up the time gap was not going to allow anyone to overtake him. Long was running at a average pace of 5:30 to which none of the challengers could keep with and by the half way mark he was some 2 minutes ahead of his nearest challenger Sam Appleton who in turn was some 3 minutes ahead of the rest of the chasers.
At the finishing line it was Sam Long who took the win smashing the course record in 3:47:30 (unofficial), with Sam Appleton taking second place 3 minutes behind and third spot going to American Collin Chartier a further 2 minutes behind.
