Katrina Matthews wins IRONMAN 70.3 Lanzarote
Katrina Matthews wins tenth edition of the Club La Santa IRONMAN 70.3 Lanzarote that took place on the island this Saturday, March 19th.
In the women’s race eyes were on three long-course specialist titans of triathlon, reigning IRONMAN World Champion, German Anne Haug and the two Brits in Katrina Matthews and Lucy Buckingham (nee Hall).
Plenty of intrigue was in a fourth athlete, Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Jess Learmonth, who was turning her hand to longer distance, racing the bike section on an aero road bike.
The athlete’s lined-up at Marina Rubicon Marina for this highly competitive race over a distance of a 1.9 kilometres swim in Playa Blanca then 90 kilometres bike on a spectacular and beautiful three-lap circuit, thereafter to finish, the triathletes face 21.1 kilometres in a four-lap race in Playa Blanca.
It was Learmonth and former Olympian Buckingham who led the field in the swim exiting the water neck and neck in a time of 00:23:34 followed by Haug and Matthews a further 3 minutes back.
Onto the bike section and this would be the testing point for Learmonth as she and Buckingham renown as a bit of a bike-beast who can power down with best of them set off onto the 90K bike course.
Nonetheless at the half-way stage Learmonth was holding her own and had pulled away from Buckingham. All the while both Haug and Matthews were reducing the swim time deficit.
It was Matthews who was making most headwind and by the 77km mark had bridged the gap and pushed on to take the lead. As they came into and exited T2 it was Matthews who had built up a 00:03:26 lead over Learmonth with Haug a further 5 minutes behind.
Onto the 21.1 km run and who had the legs to carry the day. Certainly, Katrina Matthews and Anne Haug were not going to be phased by the running prowess of an Olympic Champion – this was long-course not short-course and such a race requires character and stamina not just technical ability.
After 5 km Haug was putting in a blistering pace of 00:03:42 per km with Matthew maintaining an equal pace. Learmonth whilst still second was not maintaining that sort of pace and was now 4 minutes back from Matthews with Haug closing the gap.
Was Learmonth racing tactically or had fatigue set in? By the half-way mark Matthews was holding the gap and controlling the race whilst Haug was maintaining her speed and came onto the shoulders of Learmonth to push forward and take second place.
With the finishing line in sight, it was Army Captain and BMC-Vifit Pro Triathlon Team athlete, Katrina Matthews who crossed the winning tape to take the victory in a time of 04:17:46
Anne Haug come through to take sliver with the fastest run of the day with Jess Learmonth coming in to take home bronze with a sterling performance in her debut 70.3.
Full results can be found here:
Womens IRONMAN 70.3 Lanzarote results
