Ironman France - Zamora is King
As always the Baie des Anges has kept its promise and offered the audience and millions of Internet connected a sports show that flies the flag of the IRONMAN in France! Marcel ZAMORA (ESP) breaks IM France's record and wins for the 5th consecutive time while Tine Deckers (BEL) also beats her own record and races into her second victory in Nice!
At 6:30 am the gun went off on a glassy sea and the 2,500 athletes left for two loops of the swim leg of 3.8 km. Out of the water after 00:47:41, Age Grouper Alberto Medrano (ESP) followed by Nicolas Becker (FRA) in 00:48:10 and the Belgian Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) in 00:49 56 and Axel Zeebroek (BEL) in 00:49:58. The Frenchwoman Johanna Daumas (FRA) gots out of the water in 00:52:16 followed by Dominique Donner (RSA) in 00:52:24 and Merja Kivartnka (FIN) in 00:56:38.
After a very rapid transition, the athletes jumped aboard their bikes for the 180 km bike in the back country, where a group formed by Frederik VAN Lierde, Axel Zeebroaek, Marcel Zamora and Romain Guillame (FRA) followed by Olivier Marceau (SWI), lead till the end.
Under a sun that was getting hotter, the bike finished on the Promenade in the following order: 05:41:08 for Zamora, 3 min before VAN Lierde and Guillame in 05:44:30.
Tine Deckers (BEL) finished her bike in 06:11:30, ahead of Johanna Daumas in 06:22:29 and ahead of Alexandra Louison (FRA) with 06:28:14.
Sweltering heat, pure blue sea, tourists on the beach and a marathon all set a wonderful atmosphere from a postcard from the Riviera. Zamora used this setting as an artist would clocking a 2.42 marathon and showing those on the sidelines that he is indeed the King of Ironman France. For Deckers she was all alone and the run was an extension of a brilliant day. She was a clear 15 minutes in front at the end.
Men
- Marcel Zamora Perez (ESP) 8:25:28
- Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) 8:30:39
- Olivier Marceau (SUI) 8:52:25
- Bruno Clerbout (BEL) 8:53:15
- Romain Guillaume (FRA) 8:58:56
Women
- Tine Deckers (BEL) 9:21:29
- Erika Csomor (HUN) 9:36:08
- Alexandra Louison (FRA) 9:38:25
- Britta Martin (GER) 9:40:53
- Johanna Daumas (FRA) 9:56:34
