Argentine Eduardo Sturla and Brazil’s Fernanda Keller both made up for substantial deficits heading into the marathon to win at Sunday’s Ironman Brazil. Sturla, who last won Ironman Brazil in 2001, entered T2 7:30 behind Frenchman Benjamin Sanson, but closed with a 2:58:00 marathon to win by ten minutes. The 44-year-old Keller started her marathon nine minutes back of American Hillary Biscay, but she closed quickly and also won with a comfortable 10-minute gap.

Sanson, one of France’s top ITU athletes, stormed to the front of the men’s race with a 50:52 swim, which gave him a nine-minute gap on Sturla and the rest of the men’s contenders. Little changed on the relatively flat 112-mile ride, as both Sanson and Sturla posted 4:27 splits. The Frenchman began his marathon with over seven minutes on Sturla and 18 minutes on German super-runner Olaf Sabatschus. But Sanson began to show signs of distress shortly after exciting T2 and both Sturla and Sabatschus began making up ground—fast. The Argentine took over the lead near the halfway mark and never looked back, finishing in 8:28:24. Sabatschus actually ran three minutes faster than the winner, but his bike deficit forced him to settle for second in 8:38:56. Sanson was able to cling to third, finishing three minutes back of the German.

The women were led out of the water by Brazil’s Carla Morena, after 55:46 in the rough waters off the coast of Florianopolis. Biscay exited the Atlantic over three minutes back of the leader and Keller had some serious work to do, finishing the swim almost 15 minutes back of Morena. Biscay slowly made up ground on Morena during the first half of the bike leg and finally passed her around the 110-km mark. By the time the top ladies made it back to transition, Biscay had build a nine-minute gap on Keller. The big surprise of the day was the presence of age grouper Kelly Lear-Kaul from Colorado, who entered T2 in third, seven minutes back of Keller. Biscay began to struggle as soon as she started the marathon and Keller and Lear-Kaul were right there to take advantage. Keller stormed away from the rest of the field, posting a 3:15 marathon to win in 9:42:50. Lear-Kaul, a forensic pathologist with the Arapahoe County Coroner’s office in Colorado, who has won her age group at Ironman Hawaii, finished ten minutes later, with her countrywoman Biscay another four minutes back.

Brasil Telecom Ironman Brazil
Florianopolis, Brazil
May 25, 2008
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

Men
1. Eduardo Sturla (ARG) 8:28:21
2. Olaf Sabatschus (GER) 8:38:56
3. Benjamin Sanson (FRA) 8:41:32
4. Petr Vabrousek (CZE) 8:53:55
5. Raul Furtado (BRA) 8:5501

Women

1. Fernanda Keller (BRA) 9:42:50
2. Kelly Lear-Kaul (USA) 9:52:40
3. Hillary Biscay (USA) 9:56:08
4. Ladislava Cisarovska (CZE) 10:06:10
5. Kristin Lie (NOR) 10:07:50