Ironman 70.3 St. George LIVE: News shorts, photos as it happens

Written by Joyce Kuzmanic
May 3, 2014
U.S. Pro Champion Jan Frodeno, Ironman 70.3 St. George. St. George, Utah, May 3, 2014 | Photo by Dave Amodt, St. George News

UPDATES:  This is a LIVE post being updated continuously as Ironman 70.3 St. George races through Utah’s Dixie as it happens. Final results may vary. Refresh the page for updates.

ST. GEORGE – Quiet outside but there was a buzz at Sand Hollow State Park this morning as triathletes and spectators queued to get to the Sand Hollow Reservoir. Ironman 70.3 St. George 2014 is here, with morning temperatures starting at 57 degrees and water temperatures at Sand Hollow about 60 degrees, according to the state Park Ranger.

Strange happenings

Report from Hollie Reina at 7:15 a.m. from Sand Hollow: “There are some free range cattle on the bike course and the volunteers are having to become cowboys to keep them out of the way!”  And, at 7:34 a.m. “The cows are around mile 5 of the bike course. It is pretty serious they keep warning the athletes to watch out!”

Swim course

Mens pro athlete, Andy Potts is first out of the water with a time of 21 minutes, 50 seconds, with Brent McMahon and Jan Frodeno following about 2 minutes behind him.

Womens pro athletes, Jodie Swallow Meredith Kessler and Mary Beth Ellis first out. At about 7:30 a.m. IronmanTri tweeted that womens pro Meredith Kessler was first out of the water.

Christian Hanselmann, 24, from Provo is the first age grouper out of the water his first Ironman 70.3.

At about 9:25 a.m. the last Ironman 70.3 competitor is heading out, on bike, from Sand Hollow.

Bike course

Mens pro – At about 8:20 a.m. Mens pros are at mile 30, Andrew J. Yoder holds the lead.  At 9:02 a.m. AtoZion tweeted that the mens pros are making the climb up Snow Canyon.  At about 9:15 a.m. IronmanLive tweeted Yoder leading with Clayton Fettell and Joe Gambles behind him. 

Womens pro – At about 8:20 a.m. Meredith Kessler, Mary Beth Ellis and Jodie swallow are in the lead for womens pros at mile 15. At about 8:30 a.m. Meredith Kessler  holds the lead at mile 23. IronmanLive tweeted around 8:51 a.m. that Kessler holds the lead at mile 32 with “three fast ladies in hot pursuit.” At about 9:43 a.m. IromanLive tweeted that Julie Dibens has taken the lead at mile 50.

Run

Mens pro – At about 9:46 a.m. IronmanLive tweeted that Tim Don has taken the lead in mens pro run, with ten men in a pack all within 1 minute of each other. At 10:21 a.m. IronmanLive tweeted: Brent McMahon in the lead at 8.29 miles, with Tim Don and Jan Frodeno within a minute behind him.

Womens pro – At 9:55 a.m. IronmanLive tweeted that Jodie Swallow and Julie Dibens are leading the womens pro onto the run. At 10:24 a.m. IronmanLive tweeted that Swallow and Kessler are neck-in-neck at mile 5.

Finish

St. George News photo-reporter on moto BLIPPED AT 10:34 a.m. the mens pros are on Bluff heading toward the finish.

At 10:41 a.m. IronmanLive tweeted:  And your U.S. Pro Champion is Mr. Jan Frodeno!  And, next tweet : McMahon blazed through in second, with Tim Don in third.

At about 11:12 a.m. Meredith Kessler finished first as the U.S. Pro Womens Champion, Ironman 70.3 St. George. IronmanLive tweeted the finishers with times: Meredith Kessler 4:11:53, Jodie Swallow 4:12:29 and Heather Wurtele 4:14:31.

Photos will be added as received.  Refresh post to enjoy more.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery. 

St. George News Reporter Hollie Reina contributed to this report from Sand Hollow Reservoir, Hurricane.

Related Posts – Ironman 70.3 St. George – 2014

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @JoyceKuzmanic

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2014, all rights reserved.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joyce Kuzmanic has been editor in chief of St. George News since 2012, having contributed as a reporter and assistant editor since the publication's inception in 2010. Before St. George News, Joyce has been a private business owner and enjoyed a long career as a paralegal in real estate, business and tax law transactions. She enjoys hospitality, thinking, reading and adventuring in the great outdoors. Joyce currently resides in St. George with her husband and her dog, Scratch.

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2 Comments

  • Free Cows May 3, 2014 at 1:32 pm

    “Free Range Cows” everybody! Today only, get your “Free Range Cows”. That’s right, absolutely “Free Range Cows”! Get yours today!

  • Free Cows May 3, 2014 at 1:35 pm

    Even if you didn’t win, get your “Free Range Cow”.

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