Tasmanian lowers own bike time at gruelling endurance race on record breaking day
ANOTHER herculean effort on the bike has propelled Cameron Wurf into the top 10 of the most gruelling event on the planet in just his second attempt as a professional
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ANOTHER herculean effort on the bike has propelled Cameron Wurf into the top 10 of the most gruelling event on the planet in just his second attempt as a professional.
The Tasmanian former Olympic rower and professional cyclist smashed the Hawaiian Ironman triathlon world championship record he set last year on debut by around three minutes, clocking 4:09:06 for the 180km leg to enter the marathon with a lead of more than six minutes.
However unusually benign conditions — arguably the best in the 40-year history of the event — saw him mowed down by a powerful chase group including German star Patrick Lange, who created his own history by becoming the first athlete to break the eight-hour barrier.
Lange successfully defended his title and annihilated his own race record by nine minutes in the process, winning the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km run event in seven hours 52 minutes 39 seconds.
Wurf finished 9th in a time of 8:10:32 to become the first Australian since 2014 to record a top 10 finish, betting his 19th place from 12 months ago.
“It is a huge success, the conditions couldn’t have been not in my favour any more where I am at,” Wurf told the Mercury.
“I was up there trying to push the pace but when it’s faster, obviously the gaps are smaller. If there is a lot of wind the stronger you are it makes it harder to hide or get any free kicks.
“Today there were a lot more free kicks than normal and they were able to get the job done.
“That’s fine, it is a triathlon and you have to be good enough to win in any conditions and at the moment I am just not quite there.
“I’m sure if it was more blustery and harsher it could have been different for sure, but it wasn’t and 9th was the best I could do.
“But it is a big step really in reality and the swim was a hell of a lot better, the bike was improved and I just have to keep working on my run.”
Despite the ease of conditions athletes usually face in Kona, Wurf felt he had done enough on his most powerful leg to put himself in a position to challenge for gold.
The 35-year-old had broken through the mental barrier of running a sub three hour marathon in the past few months, but was unable to hang on.
“I knew the gaps and I knew I had ridden quite good and I felt if I could run well in the first 15, 20km and make them come and get me, perhaps it would wear them out.
“I tried to run really well first part, I think I did and made it so they had to get up to me but unfortunately I just didn’t have the legs and I couldn’t stay close enough in that second third of the marathon to rally have a crack at them at the end.
“It’s tough, I want it all and I want it quickly, I always have and this is something I am just going to have to keep working at.
“I just need to keep chipping away, I’m not going to give up on trying to beat these guys, I am getting closer and that’s exciting.
Three-time champion Mirinda Carfrae posted her fastest time at Kona (8:50:45) to finish the highest of the Australian women in fifth, with compatriot Sarah Crowley sixth 90 seconds behind.
Swiss ace Daniela Ryf won a fourth-straight women’s title and torched her race record by 20 minutes with 8:26:18.
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