ST. GEORGE – For those not following our posts on Facebook or Twitter – brief fb/tweet style:
STGNews reporter Todd Tischler is at Sand Hollow and reports (7:28 a.m.) that the leaders are 3/4 of the way through the swim leg. He says it’s choppy as all get out, white caps, crazy! We will have photos and updates of IRONMAN throughout the day – keep an eye open! BLESS THOSE COMPETITORS!
It is so windy our reporter can’t hear names .. are giving you our best at the moment!
8:50 Report from Ironman at Sand Hollow: They’re taking swimmers our by the boatload – our reporter counts at least 8 boats, each coming in with 5 or 6 competitors. Many swimmers are off course, they swim in towards finish only to find they’re off course and have to go back out again. Our reporter said that “they” (the officials, presumably) are allowing those that could not complete the swim to nevertheless still complete the rest of the Ironman competition, unofficially. So they will still cycle and run. The factor apparently is the wind. We will have photos once we are able to get transmission. Stay tuned to STGNews!
11:16 a.m.: All Ironman swimmers are out and onto bikes. Last ones in from the lake at about 2 hrs 10 mins swim. Officials considering whether to allow biathlon times for those who did not complete the swim.
Update: Biathlon times will not be allowed to the athletes who had their time chips taken away as a result not completing the swim as Sand Hollow. This was due to their being picked up by boats at the reservoir due to complications triggered by high winds on the water. They were allow to continue the race, however.
2 p.m.: The first runners began to appear in downtown St. George around 1 p.m. Many are now running the looping-course through the downtown area.
Meredith Kessler, of San Francisco, was the first of the women runners to reach downtown just before 2 p.m.
4 p.m.: After two previous attempts, Ben Hoffman of Colorado is the winner of the 2012 Ironman St. George.
5 p.m.: Meredith Kessler has placed first among the women triathletes.