Cameron Brown, Joanna Lawn Continue Domination Of Ironman New Zealand

Ironman New Zealand is one of few Ironmans in the world where the home athletes loyally race year after year. At the age of 37, New Zealand’s Cameron Brown has become the most loyal of them all, winning his ninth title at Ironman New Zealand on Saturday. For the women, New Zealand’s Joanna Lawn took back the title that was hers in from 2003 to 2008 and she did so by defeating last year’s winner, Gina Crawford of New Zealand, and establishing a new course record.

The men’s race started out with three of New Zealand’s triathlon stars exiting the water. Kieran Doe led the men with a blistering swim of 45:38. He was followed by Terenzo Bozzone and Brown into T1. Once on the bike, the three left the competition behind. Bozzone jumped out to the front and looked to be hammering to a big-time lead. Whether it was strategy or a sign of exhaustion, Bozzone clearly slowed the pace in the final miles of the bike, letting Brown come within a minute heading onto the run. In the early miles of the run Brown found his stride and passed Bozzone. Brown knows this course well and used experience to only grow his lead. In the end, Brown crossed the tape at 8:21:52 for his ninth win at this race. With the victory, Brown becomes the only athlete to ever win at the same Ironman nine times. Bozzone replicated his second place finish from last year at 8:30:00. Doe rounded out the podium at 8:34:16.

Similarly to the men’s race, speedy New Zealanders led the women out of the swim. Last year’s winner, Crawford, was first into T1 thanks to a swim time of 50:02. Behind her was Lawn and then Australia’s Sarah Pollett. Despite heading onto the bike four minutes back of the leaders, New Zealand’s time trial cycling champion Melissa Holt charged to the front and hammered the bike course. Holt turned in a bike split of 5:07:15 to head onto the run with a slight lead. She was followed by Lawn and Crawford. Holt’s power on the bike did not translate to the run as she was quickly overtaken by Lawn. Lawn ran a 3:06:23 marathon for a final time of 9:14:35 to take her third win on this course. Crawford settled for second at 9:28:26, with American Kim Loeffler running her way to third and a final time of 9:30:57.

Ironman New Zealand
Taupo, New Zealand – March 6, 2010
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

Men

1. Cameron Brown (NZL) 8:21:52
2. Terenzo Bozzone (NZL) 8:30:00
3. Kieran Doe (NZL) 8:34:16
4. Keegan Williams (NZL) 8:40:11
5. James Bowstead (NZL) 9:02:46

Women

1. Joanna Lawn (NZL) 9:14:35
2. Gina Crawford (NZL) 9:28:26
3. Kim Loeffler (USA) 9:30:57
4. Sarah Pollett (NZL) 9:45:44
5. Britta Martin (NZL) 9:47:11

Check back for a photo gallery from the race.