Ironman Worlds return to Big Island
- Updated: October 10, 2022
Coutesy, West Hawai'i Today
2022 LOCAL COVERAGE
ECS staff report
KAILUA-KONA, Hawai’i —Anew course record was set in the pro men’s race of the 2022 Ironman World Championships, but for San Diego’s Kurt Madden, it was not the best of days for the world’stop-ranked age-group competitor in the Male 65-69 division.
Gustav Iden became the second Ironman champion from Norway, wining in a course record time of 7:42:23 to smash the old cource mark by more than 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the pro races on Saturday (Oct. 8), Chelsea Sodaro, who was born in San Luis Obispo, became the first American to claim the women’s race since 1996.
Madden may be ranked No. 1 in the world in his age group, but he failed to capture this season’s Ironman World Championship in the event’s return to the Big Island of Hawai’i.
A three-time winner in his agre group this season to earn his world ranking, difficulty in Thursday’s (Oct. 6) race-closing marathon saw Madden finish in eighth place (third among Americans) to miss the podium.
The victor was Martin Gannon of England, the lone competitor finishing in under 11 hours at 10:55:21.
Among USA finishers, Ned Daily, who earlier won IM Lake Placid (N.Y.), was fifth (11:55:15), Greg Taylor of Yankton , S.D., was sixth (12:02:53), then Madden in a disappointing 12:34:46.
Daily’s previous best was 20th in 2018, but improvement in his cycling prompted his career-best placement in order to reach the podium.
