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The following
article was submitted by our secretary, Dr. Kahne Parsons,
to several local area newspapers and TV stations:
Gina
Vandiver of
Longview Sets New Records at
Virginia Triple Ironman
Gina Vandiver of Longview,
27, blasted through several course records in her successful
completion of the Virginia Triple Ironman event, held over
October 5-7.
Vandiver,
an engineer and graduate of Texas Tech, completed the
Virginia Double Ironman event in October 2006, as well as
the Ford Ironman Arizona in
April of the same year.The
Ironman distance—a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike
topped by a full 26.2-mile marathon—normally features as the
penultimate event in triathlon. Many enter; fewer finish;
fewer still even imagine completing a double, let alone a
triple, Ironman distance (7.2 mile swim, 336 mile bike, and
78.6 mile run). Yet Vanidver has now succeeded at all three
distances. This accomplishment places her atop the world’s
elite ultra-distance athletes.
Not only did Vandiver complete the 336-mile course, she set
new records along the way. Gina placed third out of all
triple-distance competitors, only one minute behind
second-place Sergio Cordiero, 53, of
Brazil, and one-and-a-half minutes behind
winner Beat Knechtle, 41, of Switzerland, handily taking
first among the women. Her 20 hour 18 minute 54 second bike
ride smashed the previous female course record by three
hours and was the fastest bike time of all triple
finishers. Her 20 hour 23 second run shaved 12 minutes the
previous female course run record. Overall, her 44:55:54
finishing time blasted the previous women’s course record by
7 hours. As if that were not enough, Vandiver is now the
youngest woman to ever complete a triple Ironman.
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Vanidver
completing 2006 Double Ironman
http://www.usaultratri.com/athletes.html
Full Results at
http://www.usaultratri.com/
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The following article
appeared in the Longview News Journal on Tuesday,
October 23, 2007: |
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Vandiver the best in U.S.
Local engineer top triathlete
by
RICK
KRETZSCHMAR
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When it comes to triple triathlons, Gina Vandiver is
better than any American woman ... or man.
Vandiver was the top finisher among Americans at the
Virginia Triple Iron Triathlon, which was held Oct. 5-7
at Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania County, Va. A
27-year-old engineer from Longview, Vandiver swam 7.2
miles, biked 336 miles and ran 78.6 miles in 44 hours,
55 minutes and 54 seconds.
She finished third overall.
Vandiver finished first among women in the elite
American event for multiple triathlons. The winner was
Beat Knectle of Switzerland (41:44:23), followed by
Sergio Cordeiro of Brazil (41:54:56). Vandiver finished
ahead of another American woman, Kathy Roche-Wallace
(50:36:19). The top placing American man was Garrett
Mulrooney of Minnesota, who came in fifth in 50:41:48.
Vandiver said she
broke the course record for women, which was 51 hours,
47 minutes. |
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"It's pretty crazy. I definitely did better than I
expected to do," Vandiver said. "I went in thinking
maybe I would get under 51 hours."
There were 19
entries, with 15 competitors finishing the grueling
physical test. The distances for the Ironman Triathlon
held annually in Hawaii are a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-bike
ride and a marathon (26.2-mile run).
This is the second
year Vandiver entered the Virginia event, competing in
the double triathlon last year. Vandiver said she felt
better this year than she did last year, crediting
better weight training, nutrition and experience.
She said weather
conditions helped as temperatures were in the 70s during
the day, as opposed to wet conditions in the 50s last
year.
Vandiver excelled in
the bike ride. Her time of 20:18:50 was the best among
all competitors. After the bike ride, she was in second
place with a time of 24:44:50, just 3:50 behind Knechtle
for the lead.
Vandiver said the
run, which she completed in 20:00.23, did not go as well
as she hoped. She took two 15-minute breaks in the run,
adding that such breaks are common in multiple
triathlons.
"The last
half-triathlon was really ugly. My knees ... they were
not helping me," Vandiver said. "It got to the point
where every step downhill hurt."
Vandiver said that
even two weeks later she is still recovering physically,
but she feels much better than last year. Vandiver
received two plaques — for being the American champion
and the top-placing woman — but no prize money since she
is an amateur athlete.
Vandiver said she is
uncertain what her next athletic competition will be.
She has heard comments saying that she should be a
professional athlete, but she wants to focus on her
career as an engineer as well.
"I do it for fun,"
Vandiver said. "I guess the glory is all right, but I
don't like being in the limelight."
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