Records Fall & World Champions Prevail
2007 Post Race Press Release
The 2006 Ford Ironman 70.3 World Champions Craig Alexander and Samantha McGlone displayed their talents as they both broke course records at the Vineman Ironman 70.3 Triathlon held in Sonoma County California on Sunday July 22nd.
Though both McGlone and Alexander may have been the pre race favorites there was no doubt they would have to earn their keep on the undulating Vineman course. After a tremendous swim Ford Ironman World Champion Michellie Jones led throughout the entire bike ride with McGlone sitting one minute back the majority of the 56 miles. Once in to running shoes McGlone charged hard at the heels of Jones. After catching the World Champion McGlone gradually pulled away in route to setting a new course record finishing in 4:16:39. Rounding out the top five were Melissa Ashton, Alexis Waddel and Dede Greisbauer.
With the majority of the men’s field exiting the water of the Russian River within a minute of each other it would be up to the strong cyclists to change the dynamics of the men’s race. Of course it couldn’t get any more dynamic than when cycling power and 2002 Vineman Ironman 70.3 Champion Chris Lieto takes to the front. One of the premier cyclists in the sport, Lieto took ot the front and gradually extended his lead on the bike over 2007 Eagleman Ironman 70.3 Champ TJ Tollakson, Alexander, 2003 Vineman Ironman 70.3 Champ Luke Bell, and Brian Lavelle. On the strength of his record breaking bike leg, Lieto gradually opened up his lead into T2 over Tollakson (3:45), Alexander (8:45), Bell (8:55), and Lavelle (9:15). With nothing to lose Alexander and Bell left T2 and charged through the first two miles of the run course in just over ten minutes! As the four runners exited the La Crema winery at mile 7 Lieto’s lead to Tollakson had dropped to 1:05 while the two Aussies, Alexander and Bell, had shrunk the gap to 2:45 and 3:10 respectively. It wasn’t until the 9.5 mile mark where the race came together as the lead four started exchanging places before they settled in to their final finishing order. Alexander held off one final charge from Bell to cement his finishing gap of just 12 seconds! In the closest finish in the history of the event Alexander ran a race best 1:09:33, to cap a course record 4:50:49, followed closely by Bell’s run of 1:09:37. Tollakson held on for third place while Lieto slipped to fourth as 2007 Duathlon World Champion Paul Amey charged hard to take the last podium spot in fifth.
MEN
1) Craig Alexander - 3:50:49 *NEW COURSE RECORD
2) Luke Bell - 3:51:01
3) TJ Tollakson – 3:53:02
4) Chris Lieto – 3:53:53
5) Paul Amey – 3:54:55
WOMEN
1) Samantha McGlone - 4:16:39 *NEW COURSE RECORD
2) Michellie Jones – 4:21:29
3) Melissa Ashton – 4:24:12
4) Alexis Waddel – 4:26:24
5) DeDe Greisbauer – 4:27:04
Full results will be available at www.vineman.com