Times, Placement of Colorado Kona Age Groupers, Race Gets Faster and Faster

By Bill Plock

Congratulations to all of Colorado triathletes who participated in the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona over the last few days. Below is the list of all Coloradans (excluding pro’s) and their time and place of finish in their category–we rounded the times to the nearest minute.

Colorado’s top two women finishers were Diana Hassel and Maggie Rusch both finishing 7th in their age group. Maggie was the overall fastest female finisher with a time of 10:14. Mike Wein finished 8th in the 70-74 category. Scott Tonder edged out Greg Lindquist for the fastest male finish at 9:35:14 vs. 9:35:57.  9:36, which amazingly put Scott in 80th and Greg at 65th in their age groups.  Wow, the world championship are ultra competitive! A special congratulations to Crested Butte based Team Liza becoming the first female para team to finish Kona!

If you look at the overall race, the pro’s are getting faster with course records, but look at the fast times of many of these athletes yet finishing in the middle of the pack. The overall age group results seem faster and faster–like the pro’s.

We asked USAT level 3 coach and coach of many athletes who have raced Kona over the years, Mike Ricci of D3 Multisport what is making these athletes so fast and he said, “ITU athletes who are trained to race faster, raising the game for everyone: Frodeno, Iden, Blumenfeldt, Ryf were ITU for example. These athletes have been training fast for years and years and then they add endurance and the really pop some good times. That’s the first thing, next up, faster equipment, wheels, aerodynamics, optimal riding positions and I think we are starting to understand nutrition better every few years. Lastly, coaching and science are helping athletes more and more. What do we learn in the field and how does that line up with what we tested in the lab. It’s a constant learning curve and we keep refining it – it’s 3 sports, so lots of opportunity for continual improvement.”

Colorado Athletes:

Acuna Aaron M35-39 MALE 36 Lakewood, 9:53 145/419
Adams Mark M55-59 MALE 57 Castle Rock 11:49, 161/386
Alexander Caitlin W30-34 FEMALE 33 Boulder 11:08, 42/126
Andzejewicz Brian M40-44 MALE 43 Boulder 10:23, 237/547
Banks Kami W45-49 FEMALE 46 Colorado Springs 12:50, 112/187
Born David M30-34 MALE 30 Ft. Collins 12:17, 330/346
Botyarov Michael M25-29 MALE 28 Highlands Ranch. 10:41, 112/193
Brown Jason M35-39 MALE 37 Denver 11:09, 344/419
Bye John M50-54 MALE 53 Golden. 13:44, 477/575
Campbell Iain M60-64 MALE 61 Boulder 12:42 79/201
Clark David M60-64 MALE 63 Carbondale. 11:14, 15/201
Clymor Ruth W35-39 FEMALE 38 Lakewood 16:29, 150/151
Collier Nicholas M40-44 MALE 41 Colorado Springs 10:03,  159/547
Cummins Kristen W45-49 FEMALE 48 Niwot 16:50 187/187
Davis Chad M35-39 MALE 38 Littleton 14:46,  415/419
De Simone Flavio M50-54 MALE 51 Boulder 11:19, 201/575
Dorn Jon M55-59 MALE 56 Boulder 13:46,  299/386
Doyle Matthew M25-29 MALE 25 Highlands Ranch. 9:43,  40/193
Duback Nicole W50-54 FEMALE 50 Lakewood  12:57,  90/157
Dumas Mike M40-44 MALE 39 Erie. 9:56,  124/547
Eshpeter Warren M25-29 MALE 25 Broomfield DNF
Fieldhack Jeff M50-54 MALE 53 Ft. Collins. 10:07,  19/575
Fleming Casey W25-29 FEMALE 29 Broomfield  11:40,  37/86
Gant Matt M35-39 MALE 36 Littleton. 13;39,  396/419
Goett Kristin W25-29 FEMALE 26 Broomfield,  11:44,   39/86
Gramer David M35-39 MALE 35 Parker. 12:22. 396/419
Gray Lawrence M55-59 MALE 56 Boulder. 12:42,  240/386
Gutknecht Eric M50-54 MALE 49 Denver. 11:23,  215/575
Halewski Steven M30-34 MALE 33 Denver. 11:01, 278/346
Hart Ellen W60-64 FEMALE 64 Denver DNF
Hassel Diana W55-59 FEMALE 54 Fort Collins. 11:34,  7/125
Hawkins Todd M45-49 MALE 48 Lone tree. 10:50  274/566
Herring Brent M40-44 MALE 40 Breckenridge. 10:03,  157/547
Hewitson Darren M35-39 MALE 37 Denver. 9:45  117/419
Hildebrandt Ian M25-29 MALE 28 Denver 10:55,  356/547
Hola Tim M45-49 MALE 48 Highlands Ranch 10:41,  136/566
Homan Joel M40-44 MALE 41 Grand Junction  DNF
Howson Chris M50-54 MALE 52 Highlands Ranch. 12;43  412/575
Hubbard Gerard M35-39 MALE 36 Littleton 10:00. 174/419
Jackson Keith M30-34 MALE 30 Fort Collins  12;17. 331/346
James Liza PC OPEN/ EXHIBITION FEMALE 26 Crested Butte. 17:59  2/2
Kachinsky Christine W50-54 FEMALE 51 Golden. 11:46,  28/157
Keller Steven M45-49 MALE 46 Aurora 12:03,  462/566
Keller Mia W18-24 FEMALE 24 Denver. 12:41,  15/34
Killinger Andrew M40-44 MALE 41 Parker 13:26,  520/547
Krotik Bart M60-64 MALE 64 Highlands Ranch. 16:23,  185/201
Lambert Brian M35-39 MALE 39 BOULDER DNF
Larson Perry M60-64 MALE 60 Highlands Ranch 16:57,  201/201
Leahy Mike M70-74 MALE 73 Colorado Springs DNS
Lehman Kyle M35-39 MALE 35 Denver. 11:07,  342/419
Lindquist Gregory M40-44 MALE 39 Boulder  9:36,  65/547
Lozes Brian M30-34 MALE 32 Boulder. 11:06,  286/346
Lyall Wendy W45-49 FEMALE 48 Glenwood Springs. 13:23,  133/187
Lytle Todd M50-54 MALE 53 Lakewood. 14:30,  513/575
Malone Kelly M55-59 MALE 58 Golden. 14;50,  346/386
Marcoux Laura W35-39 FEMALE 34 Golden. 12:16,  104/151
Mccarter J. Christian M50-54 MALE 53 Denver. 13:49,  494/575
Nesbitt Brian M45-49 MALE 47 Golden. 10:32,  167/547
O’Malley Edward M45-49 MALE 45 Boulder. 12:26,  486/566
O’Sullivan James M35-39 MALE 37 Englewood  10:22,  247/419
Owen Elwyn M60-64 MALE 60 Highlands Ranch. 14:40 154/201
Peltier Sarah W45-49 FEMALE 44 superior. 12:05,  66/187
Pendergraft Aaron M40-44 MALE 40 TImnath. 16:01,  544/547
Peters Karin W55-59 FEMALE 56 Timnath. DNS
Rens Kevin M55-59 MALE 57 louisville  16:09. 375/385
Ritter Marc M45-49 MALE 48 denver, 10:36,  224/566
Robinson Mary W35-39 FEMALE 37 Longmont  12:36,  114/151
Robinson Todd M45-49 MALE 49 Longmont. 10:55,  299/566
Rogers Annette W35-39 FEMALE 37 Broomfield.  10:45,  28/151
Rosin Greg M70-74 MALE 70 Breckenridge. 13:58,  11/42
Royster Brooks M25-29 MALE 28 Boulder. 13:53,  188/193
Rusch Maggie W35-39 FEMALE 35 Boulder. 10:14,   7/151
Schafer Mallory W35-39 FEMALE 36 Lakewood. 10:43,  26/151
Schlesser Michele W50-54 FEMALE 53 Louisville. 13:11, 110/157
Seddon John M40-44 MALE 40 Colorado Springs. 10:41,  310/547
Slavin Katie W30-34 FEMALE 30 Lafayette. 11:46,  75/126
Smith Kevin M45-49 MALE 49 Englewood. 10:47,  263/566
Snyder Quay M65-69 MALE 67 Monument. 14:52,  53/82
Soules Carolyn W45-49 FEMALE 48 Telluride. 13:39,  142/187
Standifer Caitlin W30-34 FEMALE 33 Boulder. 10:56,  27/126
Steves Gwendolyn W40-44 FEMALE 43 pueblo west. 12:17,  127/192
Swayze Jetson M35-39 MALE 37 Longmont,  11:36,  371/419
Teren Todd M35-39 MALE 34 Denver. 9:31,  67/419
Thompson Emily W45-49 FEMALE 46 Superior. 15:27, 177/187
Tonder Scott M35-39 MALE 37 Colorado Springs. 9:35,  80/419
Vallee Lauren W35-39 FEMALE 38 Boulder. 11:27,  62/151
Van Meveren Bryan M55-59 MALE 57 Ft.Collins. 12:41,  239/386
Wiebe Sandi W70-74 FEMALE 72 Boulder. DNF
Wien Mike M70-74 MALE 71 Boulder. 13:55,   8/42
Wiggin Parker M60-64 MALE 59 Gunnison. 14:20,  140/201
Wight Risa W60-64 FEMALE 60 Longmont. 16:33,  67/71
Yamada Scott M40-44 MALE 40 Denver. DNF
Zajac Jodi W55-59 FEMALE 54 Colorado Springs. 15:11,  108/125