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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Over 150 Ironman Florida Competitors Will Blow West Next May for Ironman Texas

It's probably a safe bet that the conditions for May's inaugural Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas will be nowhere near like they were for Saturday's 12th annual Ford Ironman Florida in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Over 150 triathletes will get the opportunity to make that actual comparison, including three that earned the right to compete next October at the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

While Austin's Brian Shelden, Arlington's Tom Rodgers and Jacksonville, Florida's Tony Maniatis all earned Kona slots in the cool, windy conditions, the hottest time put down was by Houston lawyer Trent Stephens.

It was the 38-year-old's sixth career finish at Ford Ironman Florida, but perhaps his most heartbreaking one as his personal best time of 9:16:22 still left him one slot away from going to Kona.  It was the second straight year that Stephens had competed in three Ironmans, having finished the inaugural Ironman St. George in May and getting under 10 hours (9:58:35) on a equally challenging Ironman Lake Placid course in July.

Shelden will bring his 9:21:23 third-place age group and personal best time from Florida back home to the Lone Star state.  Like one of Montgomery County's best-ever triathletes, T.J. Fry, Shelden qualified for and competed at Kona in 2006 after a 9:38:01 10th-place age group performance at Ironman Arizona.

Rodgers guaranteed his sixth trip to Kona next October with a near 7-minue age group win over Germany's Joern Lauk in the 50-54 age group category.  Rodgers used the second fastest bike time in his age group (4:55:58) to push past Lauk and then outdueled the division's second-best runner for the winning effort.

Maniatis posted career bests in all three disciplines to grab a fourth place 45-49 age group decision after a pair of 11-hour finishes at Ironman Arizona in each of the last two years.

Eighty-one Texans, including 19 from Montgomery County and Spring, who posted Ironman Florida finishes will save themselves travels to the east while fellow IM Florida competitors will come to Texas from 23 different states, two provinces and two foreign countries.

M18-24
  9:45:31 - Schmitz, George, AUSTIN, TX
10:35:07 - Gray, Aaron, GALVESTON, TX
11:07:18 - Thompson, David, POINT LOOKOUT, NY

M25-29
11:51:53 - Files, Preston, HOUSTON, TX
12:40:02 - Lewis, Perry, LEAGUE CITY, TX
13:49:31 - Duffett, Colin, HOUSTON, TX

M30-34
  9:41:15 - Johnson, Charlie, TALLAHASSEE, FL
  9:59:22 - Andrews, Justin, MATTHEWS, NC
10:30:08 - Garza, David, AUSTIN, TX
10:46:51 - Martin, Jason, BATON ROUGE, LA
10:52:25 - Grube, Daniel, MONTGOMERY, TX
11:13:34 - Stoffer, Jimmy, WAXAHACHIE, TX
11:49:59 - Malone, Evan, GULF BREEZE, FL
12:50:02 - Barr, Kevin, THE WOODLANDS, TX
13:18:05 - Horak, Matt, SPRING, TX
13:48:42 - Holt, Michael, ST PETERSBURG, FL
15:43:32 - Ignacio, Joel, AUSTIN, TX

Houston's Trent Stephens will bring his 15 career Ironman finishes to Ironman Texas in May (Photo courtesy of Jon Walk/Runner Triathlete News)

M35-39
  9:16:22 - Stephens, Trent, HOUSTON, TX
  9:56:00 - Rigueiro, Martin, BUENOS AIRES, ARG
11:22:31 - Havlin, Doug, SAINT LOUIS, MO
11:29:51 - Mook, Jason, PLANO, TX
11:35:38 - Wygand, Edward, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRA
11:36:39 - Witherow, Greg, SUGAR LAND, TX
11:36:52 - Suter, David, LAFAYETTE, LA
11:37:51 - Funderburk, Clint, WHITE OAK, TX
11:39:50 - Harmatuk, Matt, AUSTIN, TX
11:40:13 - Popp, Joel, COPPELL, TX
11:47:09 - Ajouz, Michael, NEW YORK, NY
11:52:13 - Behe, Thomas, THE WOODLANDS, TX
11:55:14 - Garza, Jacob, SAN ANTONIO, TX
12:05:49 - Hale, Joseph, HIXSON, TN
12:14:36 - Dishman, Matthew, THE WOODLANDS, TX
12:28:56 - Stevens, Tobey, HOUSTON, TX
12:50:02 - Young, Michael, THE WOODLANDS, TX
12:54:15 - Guidry, Scott, LAFAYETTE, LA
12:57:28 - Arnold, Christopher, HOUSTON, TX
13:11:23 - Moreno, Roland, SAN ANTONIO, TX
14:12:54 - McIndoo, Adam, LASALLE, ON
14:33:34 - Osborn, Patrick, CONROE, TX
15:59:46 - Wygand III, James, SPRING, TX
16:00:31 - Chapman, Ricky, HOUSTON, TX
16:44:59 - Ulmer, Mark, HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO

M40-44
  9:21:23 - Shelden, Brian, AUSTIN, TX+
10:30:53 - Roy, Saswata, ATLANTIC BEACH, FL
10:31:47 - Colvin, Greg, HOUSTON, TX
11:10:19 - Broussard, Aaron, LAKE CHARLES, LA
11:10:21 - Franklin, Anthony, SUGAR LAND, TX
11:15:08 - Talbott, Shawn, DRAPER, UT
11:18:44 - Long, Dan, CINCINNATI, OH
11:28:36 - Gurrola, George, FORTSON, GA
11:53:42 - McCallum, Robert, CYPRESS, TX
11:55:12 - Hardy, Steve, SPRING, TX
11:55:14 - Ury, Shawn, SAN ANTONIO, TX
12:18:12 - Smith, David, NORTH YARMOUT, ME
12:34:03 - Czapko, John, HOUSTON, TX
12:37:05 - Crow, Chad, ARLINGTON, TX
12:41:42 - Pinkston, Scott, SUGAR LAND, TX
12:48:16 - Leggett, Dale, HOUSTON, TX
12:50:01 - Palmer, Jerry, HOUSTON, TX
12:51:08 - DeBord, Rex, GULF BREEZE, FL
13:02:18 - Allen, Greg, HOUSTON, TX
13:02:44 - Sebaly, Michael, MIDLAND, MI
13:25:10 - Mowery, Art, GAINESVILLE, FL
13:35:45 - Lambert, Courtney, CEDAR PARK, TX
13:37:03 - LaRue, Greg, HOUSTON, TX
14:22:35 - Alvarez, Gregory, THE WOODLANDS, TX
15:15:09 - Quist, Matthew, MILWAUKEE, WI
15:42:56 - Dorsey, Rico, MORROW, GA
15:44:33 - Galloway, Steve, EXETER, NH

Mexico's Luis Alvarez, seen here approaching the swim exit on Saturday, will use Ironman Texas as one of his 100 career Ironmans towards the World Championship's 35th anniversary.  (Photo courtesy of Jon Walk/Runner Triathlete News)

M45-49
  9:37:40 - Maniatis, Tony, JACKSONVILLE, FL+
10:26:55 - Alvarez, Luis, TLALNEPANTLA, MEX
10:44:50 - Cooper, Todd, THE WOODLANDS, TX
10:49:46 - Hellen, Donald, HUNTSVILLE, AL
11:01:12 - Willerton, Nigel, SUGAR LAND, TX
11:14:36 - Luff, Dean, NORTH VANCOUVER, BC
11:21:35 - Bissing, Mark, WEST DES MOINES, IA
11:35:28 - Kirk, Shawn, MAGNOLIA, TX
11:42:47 - Arnold, George, HOUSTON, TX
11:46:03 - Meister, Ric, JANESVILLE, WI
11:51:02 - Jones, Phillip, DALLAS, TX
12:02:48 - Wolbers, Dirk, THE WOODLANDS, TX
12:20:38 - Valley, Bob, CLERMONT, FL
12:29:08 - Polkow, David, ELMHURST, IL
12:37:23 - Riemer, Andrew, LUDINGTON, MI
12:49:04 - Williams, Daniel, CHULA VISTA, CA
13:05:11 - Pyron, John, LOUISVILLE, KY
13:13:53 - Saunders, Lesmond, WESLEY CHAPEL, FL
13:37:49 - Pyron, Susan, LOUISVILLE, KY
13:42:30 - Ellis, Jeffrey, SANTA ROSA BE, FL
13:47:10 - Hanson, Jeff, PLANO, TX
14:04:36 - Kane, Michael, SHELTON, CT
14:11:33 - Johncock, Michael, HOUSTON, TX
14:21:02 - Pattillo III, Albert, KERRVILLE, TX
14:21:16 - Harper, Stephen, HOUSTON, TX
     DNF - Alverson, Greg, CINCINNATI, OH
     DNF - Beaty, Jeff, LONGVIEW, TX

M50-54
  9:37:40 - Rodgers, Tom, ARLINGTON, TX+
11:33:42 - Forral, Arthur, SAN ANTONIO, TX
12:13:03 - Mackintosh, Neil, SUGAR LAND, TX
12:47:04 - Tran, Young, SAN JOSE, CA
13:12:55 - Morris, Kent, CONROE, TX
14:07:07 - Royston, Joel, PLANT CITY, FL
14:20:25 - Britton, Jimmy, SAN ANTONIO, TX
15:02:27 - Grammer, Robert, SAN ANTONIO, TX
15:06:27 - Lummis, Ghent, HOUSTON, TX
15:46:28 - Arroyo, Ramon, THE WOODLANDS, TX
16:40:07 - Gray, Mike, NORMAN, OK

M55-59
12:02:30 - Fuentes, Randy, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX
12:39:22 - Carroll, Philip, JASPER, IN
12:47:04 - Shuler, Robert, TAMPA, FL
13:48:37 - Hulsey, Thomas, DALLAS, TX
13:56:19 - Hemminger, Terry, PINE MOUNTAIN, GA
     DNF - Garcia, Reuben, SAN ANTONIO, TX

M60-64
14:40:50 - Wragg, John, MISSISSAUGA, ON
15:15:30 - Evans, Trey, CROSBY, TX
15:16:31 - Kopp, Douglas, BATON ROUGE, LA
15:20:38 - Stevens, Lee, SHREVEPORT, LA

W25-29
11:32:32 - Holt, Sandy, TALLAHASSEE, FL
14:18:46 - Ignacio, Crystal, AUSTIN, TX
14:22:32 - Gnatzig, Vanessa, SPRING, TX

W30-34
14:26:14 - Layne, Lilly, AUSTIN, TX
16:44:48 - Webb, Alexis, CHICAGO, IL

W35-39
11:06:37 - Dolhare, Meredith, CHARLOTTE, NC (13th in AG)
11:47:22 - Ginko, Lindsey, AUSTIN, TX
11:50:57 - Schaffner, Dionn, AUSTIN, TX
12:15:09 - Bump, Jodi, OWENS CROSS ROADS, AL
12:53:30 - Hurt, Megan, CENTENNIAL, CO
13:18:47 - Beaty, Shelley, LONGVIEW, TX
13:29:22 - Andrew, Gretchen, HOUSTON, TX
14:19:19 - Green, Amy, CHICAGO, IL
14:36:33 - Yashewski, Suzanne, AUSTIN, TX
15:21:27 - Johnson, Christa, MANISTEE, MI
16:02:34 - LaRue, Julie, HOUSTON, TX
     DNF - Blankenship, Wendy, LAFAYETTE, LA

W40-44
11:44:42 - Drye, Leigh, NEW ORLEANS, LA
11:47:09 - Moore, Joni, SALADO, TX
12:01:09 - DeRonde, Christina, CALABASAS, CA
13:35:19 - Watts, Leslie, SPRING, TX
15:19:21 - Flora, Lynn, SPRING, TX
15:59:09 - Oerkfitz, Kim, KENDALIA, TX
16:12:29 - Alvarez, Gena, THE WOODLANDS, TX
16:27:03 - Christley, Leann, PEARLAND, TX

W45-49
11:41:08 - Reed, Pamela, TUCSON, AZ
12:15:49 - Zenisek, Karen, ELMHURST, IL
12:45:21 - Shiely, Leah, SAN ANTONIO, TX
14:05:57 - Gower, Debbie, ATASCADERO, CA
14:10:05 - Bissing, Pam, WEST DES MOINES, IA
14:12:58 - Griff, Nancy, LANTANA, FL
15:34:20 - Soden, Patricia, HOLLYWOOD, FL

W50-54
13:50:56 - Newald, Jitka, LEAGUE CITY, TX
16:12:27 - Mackintosh, Amanda, SUGAR LAND, TX

W55-59
14:32:57 - Wright, Laurel, PUEBLO WEST, CO