Winds Return to Kona

Winds Return to Kona

Ellis, Potts, O’Donnell Top Ten

By Kristen McFarland

October 13, 2012 (Kailua-Kona, HI) – After two years without an American among the top ten men at the IRONMAN World Championship the drought was ended today by Andy Potts (Colorado Springs) and Tim O’Donnell (Boulder) placing 7th (8:31:45) and 8th (8:33:28), respectively.

Andy Potts & Tim O'Donnell
Andy Potts & Tim O’Donnell

In addition, Mary Beth Ellis of Superior was the top American woman with her 5th place finish (9:22:57). Boulder resident Mirinda Carfrae of Australia fought hard all day in an attempt to repeat her 2010 win but was bested by winner Leanda Cave of Great Britain; Caroline Steffen of Switzerland finished 2nd only a minute behind Cave.

For several years the trademark winds that have always made this race so notoriously difficult have been absent. They returned in force this year and no records were going to be broken on this day. The surf was a bit rougher as a result and although Andy Potts was first out of the water again this year, his swim time was a couple of minutes slower than usual. A field packed with strong cyclists soon caught him and blew by.

Belgian Marino Vanhoenacker went way off the front. That and the strong winds broke up the pack. There was no long string of pro men, but instead they were exceptionally spread out with the biggest group consisting of only five guys. Vanhoenacker proved to have gone way too hard and abandoned the run about half way through. As often happens, he burned out some of the lead men who had been trying to chase him on his 4:25:49 ride.

Boulder pro Michael Lovato struggled on the bike but stuck it out for a 25th place finish in 8:56:04.

Colorado’s top age-group honors went to Steve Johnson, who came in 51st overall and fifth in the 35-39 age group, and Danielle Kehoe who won the women’s 25-29 age group with a 9:51:07. Ellen Hart took 2nd in the women’s 50-54 age group. Judy Laney won the women’s 60-65 age group.

Colorado Results

7
08:31:45
51
Potts, Andy
COLORADO
CO
USA
7/39
MPRO
50:32
1:41
4:43:52
2:22
2:53:18
8
08:33:28
40
O’Donnell, Timothy
BOULDER
CO
USA
8/39
MPRO
51:37
1:34
4:44:16
2:04
2:53:59
26
08:56:04
39
Lovato, Michael
BOULDER
CO
USA
25/39
MPRO
55:22
1:52
4:52:00
3:39
3:03:13
51
09:16:59
1459
Johnson, Steve
BOULDER
CO
USA
5/205
M35-39
1:03:21
2:59
4:58:43
2:30
3:09:29
65
09:21:41
102
Carfrae, Mirinda
BOULDER
CO
USA
3/26
WPRO
1:00:06
1:56
5:12:18
2:19
3:05:04
66
09:21:42
1875
Bovee, Grant
DENVER
CO
USA
11/101
M25-29
1:04:47
2:57
4:58:21
3:09
3:12:30
71
09:22:31
54
Bennett, Greg
BOULDER
CO
USA
33/39
MPRO
51:39
1:43
4:55:41
2:49
3:30:41
75
09:22:57
105
Ellis, Mary Beth
SUPERIOR
CO
USA
5/26
WPRO
56:06
1:59
5:08:06
6:18
3:10:30
100
09:28:18
1387
Hola, Tim
HIGHLAND
CO
USA
15/205
M35-39
54:25
2:37
5:17:49
4:36
3:08:52
146
09:36:20
1439
Niemeyer, Shane
BOULDER
CO
USA
29/205
M35-39
1:02:30
3:14
4:58:14
3:08
3:29:17
162
09:37:40
1935
Tweed, Spencer
BOULDER
CO
USA
21/101
M25-29
1:04:31
3:30
5:02:29
3:41
3:23:30
241
09:48:35
1856
Laughery, Colin
BOULDER
CO
USA
33/101
M25-29
1:07:44
4:38
5:13:25
4:37
3:18:13
270
09:51:07
1995
Kehoe, Danielle
ARVADA
CO
USA
1/51
W25-29
1:07:30
2:26
5:11:26
2:14
3:27:33
318
09:55:44
1102
Jester, Wayde
ENGLEWOO
CO
USA
37/243
M40-44
57:45
2:26
5:26:01
3:51
3:25:42
331
09:57:59
1423
Watkins, Garren
BOULDER
CO
USA
78/205
M35-39
58:29
2:35
5:12:35
3:11
3:41:12
335
09:58:44
48
Rix, Josh
BOULDER
CO
USA
39/39
MPRO
53:45
1:47
4:51:08
2:49
4:09:17
348
10:00:26
1031
Konczak, Kevin
BOULDER
CO
USA
42/243
M40-44
1:02:36
4:27
5:25:21
4:50
3:23:13
357
10:00:59
1474
Smith, Matt
DENVER
CO
USA
82/205
M35-39
1:01:17
2:43
5:21:30
3:51
3:31:40
456
10:12:18
1453
Kenney, Eric
BOULDER
CO
USA
106/205
M35-39
58:35
2:26
5:16:33
3:00
3:51:47
468
10:13:33
790
Cooper, Brad
LITTLETO
CO
USA
33/215
M45-49
1:04:54
3:12
5:15:47
3:11
3:46:31
528
10:18:57
794
Ryan, Mark
AVON
CO
USA
44/215
M45-49
1:08:13
3:21
5:30:24
3:53
3:33:07
561
10:22:28
730
Jones, Scott
BOULDER
CO
USA
52/215
M45-49
1:01:44
3:09
5:27:23
3:43
3:46:33
655
10:30:26
1163
Stueve, Randy
DURANGO
CO
USA
110/243
M40-44
1:18:26
4:44
5:39:58
4:10
3:23:10
700
10:35:46
2066
Morrison, Samantha
USAF ACA
CO
USA
3/25
W18-24
1:01:29
2:40
5:46:05
3:22
3:42:11
734
10:38:26
968
Hassel, Diana
FORT COL
CO
USA
2/67
W45-49
1:07:10
3:12
5:32:25
3:37
3:52:04
749
10:40:13
1664
Vaughn, Josh
GOLDEN
CO
USA
130/158
M30-34
1:03:21
3:31
5:26:33
4:11
4:02:37
826
10:51:17
1797
Wieck, Sonja
GREENWOO
CO
USA
19/65
W30-34
1:07:44
2:16
5:34:22
2:34
4:04:25
827
10:51:20
721
Vanmeveren, Bryan
FORT COL
CO
USA
99/215
M45-49
1:11:33
4:19
5:44:59
4:45
3:45:46
928
11:00:58
556
Binder, Scott
ENGLEWOO
CO
USA
50/141
M50-54
1:02:39
4:06
5:29:36
7:16
4:17:22
929
11:01:02
615
Hart, Ellen
DENVER
CO
USA
2/52
W50-54
1:18:50
3:57
5:58:43
3:13
3:36:20
963
11:04:49
1958
Callan, Nicole
FORT COL
CO
USA
24/51
W25-29
1:17:00
3:24
5:56:04
3:10
3:45:13
976
11:06:36
1217
Gutknecht, Eric
DENVER
CO
USA
169/243
M40-44
1:12:34
6:05
5:58:50
4:12
3:44:59
999
11:10:27
1781
Hayles, Temple
LONGMONT
CO
USA
32/65
W30-34
1:10:15
3:51
5:59:20
4:11
3:52:52
1091
11:22:35
1540
Egan, Charo
PARKER
CO
USA
42/79
W35-39
1:10:58
3:50
5:51:40
5:08
4:11:01
1140
11:30:32
1275
Wlad, Kerrie
BOULDER
CO
USA
37/81
W40-44
1:16:49
5:01
6:17:34
5:01
3:46:09
1203
11:39:54
1906
Zawaski, Steven
BOULDER
CO
USA
90/101
M25-29
1:03:23
2:36
5:12:28
6:17
5:15:12
1218
11:41:55
1994
Obsitos, Monica
DENVER
CO
USA
34/51
W25-29
1:10:08
2:48
6:13:48
3:17
4:11:55
1232
11:44:15
369
Ankele Jr, William P.
HIGHLAND
CO
USA
34/88
M55-59
1:10:24
4:48
6:06:40
6:15
4:16:11
1408
12:23:28
1953
Siliciano, Anna
FORT COL
CO
USA
41/51
W25-29
1:07:52
3:45
6:03:33
6:01
5:02:19
1416
12:27:51
340
Laney, Judith
DENVER
CO
USA
1/28
W60-64
1:11:09
5:21
6:42:51
4:04
4:24:28
1447
12:36:23
366
Hinman, Rick
LARKSPUR
CO
USA
47/88
M55-59
1:19:24
4:39
6:19:45
10:28
4:42:09
1450
12:38:16
217
Butterworth, Simon
LAFAYETT
CO
USA
2/34
M65-69
1:23:57
5:26
6:03:10
4:47
5:00:58
1481
12:50:20
962
Nagle, Melinda
ASPEN
CO
USA
47/67
W45-49
1:14:23
5:50
6:40:47
0:03
4:49:20
1537
13:10:59
889
Holton, Andrew
PINE
CO
USA
175/215
M45-49
1:14:07
3:44
6:02:04
4:33
5:46:32
1574
13:27:13
650
Williams, Margie
BOULDER
CO
USA
40/52
W50-54
1:31:31
5:32
6:33:21
5:40
5:11:11
1577
13:29:00
1285
Taylor, Jodie
PARKER
CO
USA
73/81
W40-44
1:26:42
6:22
6:49:01
6:25
5:00:32
1628
13:52:45
437
Wright, Laurel
PUEBLO W
CO
USA
23/33
W55-59
1:36:02
5:35
6:49:48
8:28
5:12:54
1739
14:51:34
897
Dretzka, Jennifer
NORTHGLE
CO
USA
60/67
W45-49
1:17:09
7:38
7:45:07
10:51
5:30:51
1814
15:45:44
1224
Brown, Karen
LITTLETO
CO
USA
79/81
W40-44
1:52:58
8:26
7:33:40
11:43
5:58:58
1816
15:46:25
1293
Dixon, Tricia
PLATTEVI
CO
USA
80/81
W40-44
1:29:36
9:04
7:07:00
11:11
6:49:36
1853
16:16:41
320
Wiebe, Sandi
BOULDER
CO
USA
27/28
W60-64
1:28:52
5:11
8:07:45
0:04
6:34:51

Kristen McFarland

Kristen McFarland is an editor-at-large for Colorado Triathlete. As an athletic trainer and massage therapist, she works with professional triathletes in Boulder that have included both ITU and IRONMAN world champions.