News LIVE: Long earns 2nd straight title, Findlay top woman in Ironman 70.3 triathlon

Written by Vin Cappiello
May 4, 2024
Men's champion Sam Long, left, celebrates his victory with fans at the finish line, and Paula Findlay claims the women's title Saturday in downtown St. George at the completion of the Intermountain Health 70.3 North American Triathlon Championships, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo courtesy of outsideonline.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Starting Saturday morning at Sand Hollow Reservoir, continuing through Washington City, St. George and Snow Canyon State Park and finishing downtown, it’s time for the 2024 Intermountain Health Ironman 70.3 North American Triathlon Championship.

Men’s pro class winner Sam Long hugs his wife Lara and son Leo Saturday in downtown St. George at the completion of the Intermountain Health 70.3 North American Triathlon Championships, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo courtesy of outsideonline.com, St. George News

2023 men’s pro class winner and American Sam Long made it two in a row, capturing this year’s title in a course record hours, 39 minutes, 17 seconds.

And Paula Findlay captured the women’s gold, outdistancing the field in 4:0927.

The 1.2-mile swim got underway at 6:50 a.m. as some 2,000 athletes donned their wet suits to begin their three-sport journey in the cool waters of the reservoir.

Their odyssey concludes Saturday in downtown St. George after the swim, 56-mile bike ride and the 13.1-mile run.

The favorites in both the women’s and men’s races are the defending champions. Jeannie Metzler of South Africa headlines the women’s field, which she bested in 2023 with an overall time of 4 hours, 16 minutes, 42 seconds. And local favorite Sam Long is back, his 3:43.05 from 2023 under his belt.

If previous times hold true, the blue-chip triathletes should enter the finish area in downtown St. George around 10:30 a.m.

Click here to check how traffic patterns in and around the greater St. George area will be impacted.

The top men prepare to enter the water at Sand Hollow Reservoir Saturday morning just before the start of the Intermountain Health Ironman 70.3 North American Triathlon Championships, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo by E. George Good, St. George News

6:50 a.m.: The swimmers are in the 62-degree water at Sand Hollow Reservoir. The 1.2-mile swim is completed in a triangular shape. Athletes make two right turns around a pair of buoys, this portion usually taking the top women around 30 minutes and the men approximately 25-26 minutes.

7:14 a.m.: Nicholas Quenet of South Africa is the first man out of the water at 22:46. The top men are transitioning to the second phase — the 56-mile bike ride.

Kate Curran of Great Britain and Metzler are the first two women to complete the swim phase, finishing this portion in 25:46 and 25:49. Elle Salthouse of Australia, however, grabs the lead as the women begin the bike phase.

7:35 a.m.: Top three men are Quenet, Magnus Manner and Maximilian Sperl, and the top three women are Salthouse, Paula Findlay of Canada and Metzler.

The athletes are climbing the hill up state Route 9, having exited Sand Hollow State Park.

American Danielle Lewis pedals through the bike phase Saturday during the Intermountain Health 70.3 North American Triathlon Championships, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo courtesy of outsideonline.com, St.

7:54 a.m.: Findlay passes Salthouse to take over the lead in the women’s race.

8:20 a.m.: Race leaders are passing through Washington City on Washington Parkway and Green Spring Drive, turning toward St. George on Red Cliffs Parkway.

Findlay, Salthouse and Metzler are the leaders for the women, while Sperl, Antony Costes of France and Manner lead the men. Findlay, according to outsideonline.com, which is streaming the race, is average 25.92 mph.

Race favorite Sam Long has climbed into fifth place, some 22 seconds behind the leader. He passed Costes just before the turn onto Red Cliffs as Costes’ bike chain came dislodged. Costes, however, was able to continue on the bike as he snapped the chain back into place.

Max Sperl and Sam Long lead the pro men through Snow Canyon State Park in the bike phase Saturday during the Intermountain Health 70.3 North American Triathlon Championships, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo courtesy of outsideonline.com, St. George News

8:45 a.m.: Long overtakes Sperl on Snow Canyon Parkway as the riders work their way towards the massive climb up Snow Canyon State Park. Then Sperl returns the favor at the bottom of the climb, leading Long by about 1 second mid-climb.

9 a.m.: Long retakes the lead on the climb. Findlay builds lead on Salthouse and Lewis.

9:22 a.m.: The final swimmer finishes at Sand Hollow and exits the water.

9:25 a.m.: Long’s 1:59.57 bike phase, a course record, results in a 40-second lead over Sperl as the 13.1-mile run and final phase of the triathlon begins. Quenet, who was the first pro man out of the water, is in third.

Findlay, meanwhile, leads by 2:07 over Salthouse and 4:22 over Lewis as the lead women work their way toward the final transition.

9:40 a.m.: Findlay begins the running phase and continues to lead the pro women by nearly 3 minutes, while Long extended his lead to nearly 2 minutes in the pro men’s division.

10:15 a.m.: Findlay leads Salthouse by 4:02 and American Jackie Hering by 4:58. Metzler is 5:29 behind and in fourth place.

Long’s lead is now 5:13 over New Zealander Ben Hamilton and 5:33 over Quenet. Sperl is currently fourth some 5:41 behind Long.

Women’s triathlon champion Paula Findlay, left, talks with men’s winner Sam Long after the finish of the Intermountain Health 70.3 North American Triathlon Championships, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo courtesy of outsideonline.com, St. George News

10:31 a.m.: Sam Long wins the men’s pro class of the Intermountain Health 70.3 Ironman North American Triathlon Championships in a course record time of 3:39.17. Hamilton places second in 3:46.53.

11:04 a.m.: Paula Findlay wins the women’s pro class Intermountain Health 70.3 Ironman North American Triathlon Championships in a course record time of 4:09.27. Salthouse finished second 2:29 behind, and Hering was third at 3:48 back.

Click here for final results, and check back on St. George News for full coverage of both the men’s and women’s races.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vin Cappiello has been involved in journalism in various capacities since age 16, when his first story was published in the Rockland County Journal-News in suburban New York CIty. He has worked at newspapers in Ohio, Idaho and Wyoming and now serves as evening editor of St. George News. Vin and his wife Lisa have three grown children: Gabriella, Sara and Maggie. Vin and Maggie are 3rd-degree and Lisa is a 2nd-degree black belt in taekwondo. Vin also is the author of the young adult novel, "A Quarter Mile From Home." He enjoys hiking, camping, fly-fishing and running, preferably with Lisa.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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