Marino Vanhoenacker broke not less than 3 records last Sunday. First of all, he won Ironman Australia with a new race record. The full distance triathlon at Port Macquarie meant the 17th victory in the 41-year old athlete's career, making him the very first athlete to win Ironman races on all continents.
Bink did 8hr14'37 to consolidate his 17th win, putting Luke McKenzie on 3'32 and Mark Bowstead on 11'47. The last one went in transition first, leading by one and a half minute on Vanhoenacker, but Bink struck back on the Marathon. Bowstead gradually lost terrain and McKenzie crept closer and closer. With a last surge from Vanhoenacker he consolidated his win with a marathon split of 2hr54'12.
Congrats @BinkMarino! Ironman #17 and the win here at #IMAus šāāļøš“āāļøšāāļøšŖ pic.twitter.com/kmsIiKrdhI
Stephane Vander Bruggen, Belgian resident in Australia for several years came 7th AG en 2nd M40 in 9hr17'16, first M40 was AG winner Benjamin Bell in 8hr58'31...
Dutch on 4th
Another remarkable feat was the debut by Els Visser in the pro racing. After racing her first Ironman at Zurich last year, the Dutch Australia resident decided to go pro. In her home race she was in the running for the podium, but came in trouble during the last half of the marathon. Eventually she came 4th in 9hr56'32. Laura Sidall took the win in 9hr005'59, ahead of Melanie Burke and Kelsey Withrow.
Els' story seems like a fairytale, starting as an obstacle course runner, surviving a shipwreck by swimming 7hrs on end and finally turning pro as triathlete. Her full story can be read on transition.nl
Original article posted on 3athlon.be by Hans Cleemput on 06/05/2018
Translation by @T0v3