BackMarino´s 5th win puts him in the history books and a first Ironman victory for Eva Dolinger!

2229 athletes started the 12th Ironman Austria at 7am. The Wörthersee was calm when the participants got underway for the 3.8 km swim. Christof Wandratsch set out to beat his own record of 41:26 (set at Ironman Austria 2006) but he narrowly missed breaking it. He was the first out of the water in 44:07. The chasing group of Marino Vanhoenacker, Norbert Langbrandtner (AUT), Dejan Patrcevic (CRO), Massimo Cigana (ITA) was only a few minutes behind. The first woman after the swim was age group athlete Barbara Guglielmetti of Switzerland in 51:32. Eva Dollinger was right after her and took the lead after the transition area.

It took Marino Vanhoenacker only a few kms on the bike course to take the lead. Anton Blokhin (UKR), Dennis Devriend (BEL), Markus Fachbach (GER) and Stephen Bayliss (GBR) followed in a large chasing group, but they couldn´t narrow the gap. At km 90 the Austrian Michi Weiss chases down the pack to reach second position. Vanhoenacker increases his lead and races against the clock to beat last years time. Norbert Langbrandtner was hit with bad luck twice on his career ending Ironman race – first with a puncture and then with a fall- but was able to finish the race.

Eva Dollinger took the lead in the ladies race just a few meters after the swim to bike transition from the Swiss Guglielmetti. The favourite Bella Bayliss was handed a penality which saw her spend 6 minutes in the penalty box. By the 110k mark two Austrian´s were leading the race – Barbara Tesar in her pro debut was up to second place and chasing Dollinger. Bayliss managed to work her way into third position after exciting the penalty box but was forced to pull out further along in the marathon due to difficulties.

After 4:18:29 on the bike Vanhoenacker was already 1:30 up on his 2009 bike split and ready to tackle the marathon. Weiss was nine minutes down in second place behind the Belgium but was overtaken by another Belgium, Dennis Devriend.

Bella Bayliss moved to second place after the 6k mark on the run but Dollinger still managing to increase her lead to a healthy 7 minutes.

Vanhoenacker set a new course record of 07:52:05 and joined the elite group of athletes who can claim to finish in sub 8 hours and win 5 consecutive wins at an Ironman. His goal here at Ironman Austria was reached! He was followed across the line by Dennis Devriendt in 8:12:51 and Austrian Michi Weiss in 8:14:50.

It was a delighted Eva Dollinger who crossed the line to claim her first Ironman victory – made sweeter due to being at an Austrian Ironman. Her winning time was 9:18:50. The Danish Karina Ottosen was second across the line in 9:34:50. Third place was Beate Görtz (GER) 9:38:56.

Norbert Langbrandtner ended his ten year Pro career with flare by donning a top hat and tails for his run down the finish line.

ERGEBNISSE (ohne Gewähr):

Männer

Damen

All results can be found on http://www.pentek-timing.at/