70.3 Worlds Preview Part 1: The Women

As mentioned, I wrote a preview on the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Vegas for LAVA Magazine, and I have a whole bunch of good notes left over from the writing process that I can't just let go to waste on my hard drive. I took a lot of time to research results, stats and info on the top 24 contenders (12 guys, 12 girls). Funny observation: Despite a triathlete's nature to be "Type A," I found it hard to track down all these numbers and race results with some pros. Yes, some of our pros have great, up-to-date websites, but some not so much. I think the girls have it together more than the dudes! But I got what I needed...

Today we'll start with the ladies. By the way, this is not what I published in LAVA. Plus, I'm only choosing eight each. You'll have to read my article for the other four...

The 8 Women

Melissa Hauschildt (nee: Rollison)

Notable:

Break out year in 2011 with 1^st in every race she did -- Muncie, Vineman and Steelhead and Vegas 70.3 Worlds, plus Noosa Olympic in October, Nepan in November, and 70.3 Asia Pacific Champs in Phuket in December (the last of which she went 4:17:01, a course record).

2012 Season:

1^st Australian Long Course Champs in Feb -- 4:14:39, a course record

4^th Abu Dhabi -- 7:05

1^st Byron Bay Olympic in Australia

2^nd Boulder Peak 5150

2^nd Vineman -- 4:11 with fastest run

2^nd Boulder 70.3 -- 4:09:44, bike record

Linsey Corbin
Notable:

In 2011 she suffered an injury that altered her training during the middle of the year. But it actually worked out well for Linsey and she ended her year going 3^rd at Vegas and 2^nd IMAZ. She she value in how she executed her training in 2011 and applied some tweaks to her training in 2012.

2012 Season:

2^nd  San Juan 70.3 -- 4:18:38

5^th Oceanside 4:29:46

2^nd Wildflower 4:32:09

1^st Hawaii 70.3 -- a course record in 4:26:09, on what’s said to be some of the toughest conditions that course has seen.

5^th Boise (shortened course)

1^st IM Austria 9:09:58, edging out Erica Csomor.

3rd Timberman 70.3

Heather Jackson

Notable:

Once known for being a powerhouse on the bike, Jackson has shown she's the complete package now. In 2011 her 70.3 results were consistently top-5 with 4^th in Vegas, 2^nd Oceanside, 2nd Steelhead, 3^rd Augusta, 4^th Boise, 5^th Rev3 Quassy, as well as 6^th NOLA. This year she's been spending time training in Boulder, Colo., before Vegas instead of San Diego. She's also training for the Xterra World Champs on Oct. 28.

2012 Season:
1^st Palm Springs Desert Classic 

2^nd Oceanside to Mel McQuiad with a 4:21:57

1^st Wildflower -- new course record, 4:26:29

1^st Encinitas Sprint 

4^th Rev3 Quassy 4:34:07

1^st San Diego International 

4^th Vineman

2^nd Ironman 70.3 Calgary

Angela Naeth

Notable:

In 2011 she had four podiums in 70.3s including 1^st at Boulder and the Leadman Epic 250. She's coached by Mark Allen. In my opinion, this year is panning out to be the best year of her racing career so far. She was 7^th in 70.3 Worlds in 2010 and didn't do Vegas last year.

2012 Season:
1^st 70.3 South America Champs in Panama -- 4:15:31, fastest bike

2^nd Abu Dhabi -- 7:03:00

1^st Leadman 125 Vegas -- fastest bike

6^th St. Anthony’s 

1^st St. Croix -- course record

3^rd Rev3 Quassy -- fastest bike, 4:28:24, less than a min off 1st-place Rinny’s time

1^st Syracuse 70.3 -- 4:16:27, course record

1^st Rev3 Portland -- fastest bike (and it was a hard bike this year) and fastest run

Meredith Kessler

Notable:

In 2011 – won Canada and 2^nd at St George andCDA, her 70.3s weren’t as great as they’ve been this year. In 2010, though she won vineman WF, as well as CDA. How could you top all that? But she managed to so do so and her 2012 has been even better! In talking with her, she said she would have liked to have raced more after Vineman and before Vegas but Coach Matt Dixon thought otherwise, haha. This will be her first time doing the world championship races; she's doing both Vegas and Kona. ((She's my pick for the win at Vegas.))

2012 Season: 

1^st IM NZ shortened to a 70.3 due to weather -- 4:22:46

3^rd Oceanside 4:23:40

1^st St George  --  10:12:59 (15 OA)

1^st Eagelman 70.3 4:12:40 june 10

1st IM CDA 9:21:44

2^nd Rev3 Portland

1^st Vineman 70.3 -- beating a lot of the top names we'll see in Vegas. A sign of things to come?

Leanda Cave

Notable:

In 2011 Leanda finished the year very strong, possibly her best end of season ever, with 6^th at Vegas, following that up with 3rd Ironman World Championships, 1st Miami 70.3, 2nd ITU Long Distance World Championships Las Vegas, and a WIN at IMAZ. This year she suffered a bit of an injury -- a tweaked back in a t-run that had her down for several weeks -- but should be solid for the upcoming championship races.

2012 Season: 

4^th 70.3 South America Champs Panama -- 4:21:42

4^th WF 4:36:24 

2^nd Colombia 5150 

1^st Escape from Alcatraz

DNS Syracruse, Muncie due to injury 

5^th Vineman – first race post-injury setback

3^rd Boulder 70.3 -- 4:10:55

Kelly Williamson

Notable:

In 2011 she finished her season strong with 13^th in Kona going 9:29, and 6^th at IMAZ. Last year she had 70.3 titles in San Juan and Buffalo Springs (defended this year), and was 2nd in Muncie and Boulder. This year she's training for Kona again, not to mention she'll do HyVee the weekend before Vegas. I think she can handle it ;)

2012 Season:

2^nd 70.3 South America Champs in Panama in Feb -- 4:19:11, fastest run 1:16

1^st San Juan 70.3 4:14:38

1^st Texas 70.3 (US Pro Champs) 4:13

5^th St Anthony’s 5150 

1^st Rev3 Knoxville Olympic 2:01

6^th Rev3 Quassy 4:39 

1^st Muncie (Olympic distance)

Jodie Swallow

Notable:

After a high of winning the 2010 70.3 Worlds, 2011 was not such a great racing year for Jodie. She dealt with injury, a plantar fascia tear, for the full year wasn't able to defend her title. She also had coaching changes, leaving TBB. This year she began strong coming off the injury and had a couple good showings, but then things turned south again with stress fracture in her foot. She's said on her website that her main goal is to heal well in time to gain back the 70.3 Worlds title she earned in 2010.

2012 Season: 

1^st 70.3 South Africa 4:39:01

6^th Abu Dhabi -- 7:10:29

1^st Boise

2nd Syracuse 70.3 -- 4:19:09

2^nd Muncie 

3^rd ITU Long Distance World Champs in July -- 6:12:48 (Steffan was 1^st in 6:04)