Busselton, Western Australia (December 08, 2013) – Frenchman Jeremy Jurkiewicz executed a flawless performance in claiming his first victory on Australian soil to be joined by American mother of two Elizabeth Lyles in bagging the biggest wins of their careers at the SunSmart IRONMAN Western Australia event today.

Jeremy Jurkiewicz. Image courtesy of Delly Carr/IRONMAN

Jurkiewicz, who spent a month in Australia with his family, shared the early lead with Australian Luke Bell but when the Victorian withdrew midway through the bike, the Frenchman took over and withstood all challenges to win in 8:08.15.

German Markus Thomschke fought through on the run to claim second ahead of leading Australian David Dellow.

The race lost Bell and fellow pre-race favourite Andreas Raelert (GER) to injury on the bike leg.

“It was a crazy race, I give all on the bike and after on the run I push and push and push and I win with a crazy time, I’m very, very happy,” Jurkiewicz said. “I had a six-minute lead but I say to myself I push and push and push, I knew that I can do a good time so I pushed for the time.”

On the other hand Lyles waited to unleash on the run, coming from eight minutes back off the bike to German Mareen Hufe and local star Lisa Marangon to storm through the field.

Elizabeth Lyles. Image courtesy of Delly Carr/IRONMAN

The American, who only turned professional, last year, ran a three hour flat marathon to win in 8:59.43, which was just 19 seconds outside the race record.

“It was a fantastic day. It is true what I have been told, that this Ironman is one of the best because of the crowd,” Lyles said.

“I knew I could not give up too much time on the bike with some of the great bike runners in the field.

“I am the happiest I have been in my whole life.”

In the opening swim leg Bell and Jurkiewicz managed to open up a 14 second gap from Guy Crawford, David Dellow, Alex Reithmeier and Raelert.

At the end of the first of three laps on the bike, the leaders Bell and Jurkiewicz had cleared out, putting time into the chase group who were now over two minutes down.

Disaster struck at the 70km mark for Raelert, first with a mechanical issue then a recurrence of a pinched nerve in his back that also forced him out of the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Raelert had hoped for redemption here in Busselton to put the disappointment of failing to finish in Kona behind him, but it was not to be.

“I’m so disappointed, I was very excited to be racing here today,” said Raelert.

Just 20km later Bell was also forced to pull out unable to continue after doing damage to his knee.

Jurkiewicz suddenly found himself leading the race, spurred on by this unexpected position he found himself in the Frenchman forged ahead over the last lap of the bike and headed into the final change-over with a four minute lead.

Australian Matty White was the first to challenge and later compatriot David Dellow, but both fell away as Thomschke pushed through on the run. No-one could challenge Jurkiewicz however who enjoyed the day’s best run of 2hr48min to claim his second Ironman victory and by far the most important of his career.

In the women’s race Lisa Marangon set herself up nicely exiting the swim with a three minute lead from Kate Bevilaqua, Liz Lyles and Rebecca Preston with Michelle Bremer, Julia Grant, Rebecca Hoschke and the German Mareen Hufe.

Marangon continued to extend her lead in the early stages of the bike leg, but by the end of the first lap Bremer had reduced the deficit to a minute. Lyles, Bevilaqua and Hufe also continued to take time from Marangon.

Bremer had the 33-year-old Marangon in her sights but ran out of fuel, with Hufe making the big move to lead the women’s race at the 130km mark. She had a healthy lead off the bike but Lyles absolutely flew to claim the lead by the halfway point of the marathon.

The American was in a class of her own to record her second Ironman victory after winning in Wisconsin last year in her debut season after taking four years off for the birth of two children. She was close to Crawford’s race record but well clear of all challenges, with nine minutes back to Hufe in second and 20 minutes ahead of Marangon.

Earlier pre-race favourite Rebecca Hoschke suffered the effects of a recent heavy racing schedule having to withdraw in the last stages of the bike.

Nearly 1600 competitors joined the professional field this morning to make their Ironman journey to the hallowed ground that is the finish line and celebrate their achievement at the 10th anniversary of the SunSmart IRONMAN Western Australia event.

Results

Men
1 Jeremy Jurkiewicz          (FRA)                   8:08.15
2. Markus Thomschke       (GER)                  8:16.00
3. David Dellow                 (AUS)                  8:19.09
4. Todd Israel                     (AUS)                  8:22.38
5. Matty White                   (AUS)                  8:25.28
6. Matt Burton                    (AUS)                  8:25.41
7. Alex Reithmeier             (GER)                  8:34.52
8. Guy Crawford                (NZL)                   8:36.30
9. Ben Williams                 (AUS)                  8:41.18
10. Josh Rix                       (AUS)                  8:42.42 

Women
1. Elizabeth Lyles              (USA)                  8:59.43
2. Mareen Hufe                  (GER)                  9:07.59
3. Lisa Marangon               (AUS)                  9:19.28
4. Michelle Bremer            (NZL)                   9:25.57
5. Melanie Burke               (NZL)                   9:27.07

Click here for full set of results later today

Photos credit: Delly Carr/IRONMAN

Television coverage:

A one hour special will air on 7Mate, Sunday, 22 December at 2.30pm.

SunSmart IRONMAN Western Australia is proudly supported by the State Government through Tourism Western Australia and Eventscorp.

Media release courtesy of IRONMAN Asia Pacific