Zyemtsev, Lester Win Rev3 Cedar Point

Known as the roller coaster capital of the world, the Cedar Point amusement park closed at the 6:50 a.m. start of the Rev3 Cedar Point race, but racers were happy to hit up the rides and water slides after finishing an array of distances that included a sprint, Olympic, half and full. In the full distance, the professional field battled for the $50,000 prize purse under clear skies.

Men’s Race

Viktor Zyemtsev (UKR) used the fastest run of the day to come from behind and win the third annual Rev 3 Cedar Point full-distance Ironman race. The 1150 points from taking the title also moved Zyemtsev into second in the year-long Rev3 series.

After coming out of the water first, Eric Limkemann (USA) led the race until halfway through the run. Limkemann made it around the two lap swim course in Lake Erie in 53:04, over two minutes up on the next swimmer to exit – Brooks Cowan (USA) in 55:34. Zyemtev followed close behind Cowan in 55:59 and James LaMastra (USA) came out in 56:40. A large group made up of Ian Mikelson (USA), Chris McDonald (AUS), Zach Ruble (USA), Ryan Bates (USA), and Elmar Hegar (CAN) made it to the transition together about a minute down on Cowan.

By 25 miles into the bike, Zyemstev and McDonald were working together on the roads around Ohio just over two minutes down on Limekemann, with a smaller group of Mikelson, Ruble and LaMastra trailing behind. Limekemann kept his lead through T2, though, with the fastest bike split of the day (4:33:02). Mikelson came back in the second half of the bike with the second-fastest bike of the day (4:34:15) to enter T2 6:30 down on Limekemann. McDonald was third into transition a minute behind Mikelson with the third-fastest bike (4:35:59). Zyemstev and Daniel Bretscher (USA), who came back from a 59:51 swim, trailed Limekemann by 9:30 after a 4:39:24 and 4:35:22 bike, respectively.

On the run, it became a test of how long Limekemann could hold off a fast closing field. By mile 13, Zyemtsev caught the American and went on to run 2:53:59, securing the win in 8:31:50. Bretscher also made up time on the run with the second-fastest split (2:57:20) to take second in 8:35:32. McDonald had the fifth-fastest run of the day 3:01:55 to maintain third in 8:38:12. Limekemann fell back from the lead, running a 3:12:43 to barely hold on to fourth in 8:41:24. Mikelson followed close behind in 8:42:01.

Women’s Race

In the women’s event it was a two-person race until mile 21 of the run, when Jessica Meyers (USA) came from behind to threaten the dominance of Carrie Lester (SWZ) and Malaika Homo (USA). Meyers ran herself into second, while Lester pulled away for the win.

Homo, the defending champ, and Fiorella Dcroz (COL) set a blistering pace with a swim that was just five minutes slower than the top man. Homo came out of the water in 58:31, with Dcroz following in 58:39. Lester was right behind with a 1:00:16 and Meyers  trailed with a 1:02:05. April Gellaty (USA) and Kim Schwabenbauer (USA)struggled, coming out of the water five and seven minutes, respectively, behind Meyers.

As the women hit the bike course it quickly became a race between Homo and Lester. By 25 miles in, Lester was a minute down on Homo. By 50 miles in, Lester was just 40 second down, with Meyers maintaining the five minute gap behind the leader. After Lester caught Homo 65 miles in, Homo refused to hand over the lead. The two entered transition with Lester just 12 seconds up after a race best 4:57:20. Homo’s second-fastest bike (4:59:04) kept her in spitting-distance, while Meyers’ 5:04:31 got her to the start of the run – and her first marathon – a little over nine minutes down.

Homo and Lester stayed neck-and-neck on the run until Lester was able to put in a 30 second gap around mile 7. Homo was never able to close the gap again. Meyers started out conservatively for her first-ever marathon, but began to catch Homo in the second half of the run. By mile 21, Lester was three minutes up on Homo and Meyers was just two minutes behind in third. Lester took the title with a 3:16:20 run to finish in 9:16:14. Meyers put in a big last five mile to take second in 9:19:39 with the fastest run of the day (3:10:33) and Homo held onto third with a 3:22:12 run for a 9:22:20 finish. Schwabenbauer took fourth in 9:41:30 and Lisa Ribes (USA) ran a 3:17:13 to come in fifth with a 9:49:50.

Men
1. Viktor Zyemstev – 8:31:50
2. Daniel Bretscher – 8:35:32
3. Chris McDonald – 8:38:12
4. Eric Limekann – 8:41:24
5. Ian Mikelson – 8:42:01

Women
1. Carrie Lester – 9:16:14
2. Jessica Meyers – 9:19:39
3. Malaika Homo – 9:22:20
4. Kim Schwabenbauer – 9:41:30
5. Lisa Ribes – 9:49:50