Michael and Amanda Lovato Take Titles at Muskoka 70.3

American husband-and-wife team Michael and Amando Lovato took the titles at Subaru Ironman 70.3 Muskoka in Ontario, Canada, yesterday. The Lovatos were race favorites coming into the race.

Typically strong Ironman racers, such as two-time Ironman world champion Craig Alexander and reigning Ironman world champion Mirinda Carfrae, race Muskoka 70.3 in preparation for the Ironman World Championship in Kona in October (Alexander and Carfrae both won Muskoka in 2010). However, with the Ironman World Championship 70.3 the same weekend in Henderson, Nev., it drew those strong contenders to the Nevada desert. Lovato, who will be toeing the start line in Kona next month, has said he is using this race to break up long Ironman training blocks.

In the men’s race, Wolfgang Guembel and Sean Bechtel were first out of the water, seconds apart, with Lovato starting the bike almost two minutes down. He rode to a strong 2:27 bike split and then ran the half-marathon in 1:18:44 to take the title more than two minutes ahead of runner-up Bechtel.

In the women’s race, Missy Kuck was the first pro woman out of the water, with Amanda Lovato exiting the swim more than three minutes down. Lovato used a 2:43 bike combined with a race-best 1:28:48 run to take the title five minutes ahead of runner-up Jennifer Tetrick.

Subaru Ironman 70.3 Muskoka
Muskoka, Ontario, Canada – Sept. 11, 2011
1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run

Men

1. Michael Lovato (USA) 4:15:40
2. Sean Bechtel (CAN) 4:17:53
3. Justin Park (USA) 4:20:07
4. Wolfgang Guembel (CAN) 4:27:36
5. Shanon Stallard (NZL) 4:28:29

Women

1. Amanda Lovato (USA) 4:46:33
2. Jennifer Tetrick (USA) 4:51:38
3. Missy Kuck (USA) 4:56:32
4. Marisa Asplund (USA) 4:59:26
5. *Claudia Johnston (CAN) 5:00:00

*Age-group athlete.