Sunday, 21 June 2009
Luke McKenzie destroyed the field in Goto-Fukue today to win his second Ironman Japan in a row. The Queenslander has recently been in hiatus on the big island of Hawaii, getting his body in tune for the battering he would be giving it on the Japanese island. His third place in 70.3 Kona showed promise of some good form to come. Fellow Aussie and journeyman Courtney Ogden was in second place.
It was a predictable swim start for the men as they exited into T1. Kieran Doe, McKenzie, Cam Watt and Tim Marr are all good swimmers and all got away in the lead pack and then set about the task of gaining time. The quartet led for much of the bike. 100km into the race, the ruling clique had 4 minutes on the nearest rival, Courtney Ogden. Ogden is not the swimmer the others are and had a lonely ride in pursuit of the bunch. After kilometre 110, Watt and McKenzie decided to duke it out for themselves after breaking from the other contenders. The race was now down to two. Rolling into T2 the lead extended to a threatening level and with their bikes racked, the pair had 6 minutes on the field.
Luke McKenzie is a changed athlete. It wasn't so long ago that with the swim/bike done, McKenzie might be content to aim for a top 5 position. Those days are long gone. What McKenzie lacks in raw speed like the Crowie's of this world, he more than makes up for in determination. He simply rolled up his sleeves and ran away from Cam Watt, throwing down the gauntlet to the rest the field.
That field rapidly found out the tough nature of the Japanese course. Kieran Doe was last seen walking into T2, his day done and Watt faltered after paying for a hard bike ride. Enter Courtney Ogden. The Aussie began his charge and picked off numbers as he surged around the course, making an impressive comeback. The other looming figure was that of Petr Vabrousek. Vabrousek is the most raced Ironman athlete on the planet and was looking to create his own luck on the marathon.
Meanwhile at the head of the field McKenzie had built a 14 minute buffer. But in the last few kilometres of the run, it appeared that all was starting to unravel. McKenzie was forced to walk through aid stations and conserve what was left of his fading energy, but fortunately for him the damage was done. McKenzie's time of 8:26:30 was enough to secure his third Ironman win of his career. Ogden held on to second, showing that a bad swim is not the end of the day and Petr Vabrousek got himself onto the podium. McKenzie's marathon time showed his building fatigue (3:02). But in saying that, of the top 5 finishers only two of the athletes broke 3 hours; Park (2:59:17) and Kuniaki (2:59:57).
The women's race was dominated by Hilary Biscay. She swam like a champion (52:15) and showed no signs of being beaten into T1. Once on the road she extended the lead. Behind her though the chase was being organised. The two Nicoles, Nicole Ward and Nicole Klingler were cranking up their bikes and eyeing off the lead set by Biscay.
Biscay arrived in T2 with only one thing behind her ... daylight. She appeared to be clearly the strongest athlete on the day .. or was she? Behind her Klingler was rolling. But at this point in the race it looked like Biscay would have another Ironman title on the shelf. But that's why we love Ironman. Klingler, some 10 minutes down on Biscay after the swim, just kept on coming. She was only 5:45 behind Biscay as she put the runners on and set off.
Some 8 hours into the event Biscay surrendered the lead. Klingler showed amazing pluck to keep fighting and to not let go of the dream of victory. The Klingler pass on Biscay was a telling moment. Nicole Ward however had not finished her day. She passed Biscay and pulled up alongside of Klingler. With another surge Klingler dropped Ward to hang on for her first Ironman win. Biscay battled on to finish in the top 5.
What we saw today in Japan was what Ironman racing is all about. For the women it was about those who have the self belief and the determination not to let go the dream of winning. For the men it was a case of the simple adage, he who fatigues last wins.
We spoke with Luke a few weeks back 70.3 Kona - take a look.
Results IM Japan '09 - Men
- Luke McKenzie 8:28:31
- Courtney Ogden 8:42:54
- Petr Vabrousek 8:45:59
- Park Byung Hoon 8:49:10
- Kuniaki Takahama 8:51:28
Results IM Japan '09 - Women
- Nicole Klingler 9:52:52
- Nicole Ward 9:56:00
- Megumi Shigaki 10:01:07
- Hiromi Sato 10:07:50
- Hillary Biscay 10:14:19
NEWS
