TRIATHLON – Daniela Ryf Ironman 70.3 World Champion

Photos: @3bikes.fr

Switzerland’s Daniela Ryf became Ironman 70.3 World Champion today for the fifth time in her career.

On the challenging Nice course, she finished almost 4 minutes ahead of Great Britain’s Holly Lawrence (2016 World Champion), and over 5 minutes ahead of her compatriot Imogen Simmonds.

France’s Manon Genêt took eighth place, more than 11 minutes behind the day’s winner.

Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) had exited the water in the lead, but then incurred a 4-minute penalty on the bike leg. She had, however, been 58 seconds ahead of Brazil’s Pâmella Oliveira, and already 1 minute ahead of Holly Lawrence. Daniela Ryf and Immogen Simmonds were then only in 7th and 13th position, but a short distance behind Oliveira.

Shortly after the summit of the Col de Vence, Ryf made a thunderous comeback, then broke away in the second part of the bike course, before arriving at the second transition with just over 2 minutes lead over Simmonds and Lawrence, in that order, at the moment of racking their bikes.

Briefly threatened by a possible comeback from Lawrence, Ryf sealed the deal in the second part of the half-marathon, and won comfortably over the Briton, who was exhausted at the finish line, still under threat of a final comeback from Simmonds.

A little further back, American Chelsea Sodaro snatched 4th place, just ahead of the unfortunate Lucy Charles-Barclay.

TOP 10:

1. Daniela Ryf (SUI) 04:23:04
2. Holly Lawrence (GBR) at 03:58
3. Imogen Simmonds (SUI) at 05:06
4. Chelsea Sodaro (USA) at 08:03
5. Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) at 08:46
6. Radka Kahlefeldt (CZE) at 10:34
7. Amelia Watkinson (NZL) at 11:02
8. Manon Genêt (FRA) at 11:10
9. Emma Pallant (GBR) at 11:22
10. Sara Svensk (SWE) at 12:19