Heather Fuhr. Watch out for her in IM Canada…
Of the current crop of active contenders, I would say that Lisa Bentley is the best off the bike. However, what has not been discussed here is how the seperate pro start has dramatically changed the dynamics of the women’s.
I say this with the utmost respect for past winners and top women’s place getters at IMH, but come-from-behind wins on the run where a bit easier when their was the mass start. Yes, many of the women had to get beat up by all the age-group men and then run the risk of getting a drafting call as they worked their way through packs on the first half of the bike. However, if you knew what you were doing ( Drafting on the swim in a good pack of men and riding legal on the bike but using the psychological advantage of riding head-to-head with the men) I am guessing this was a bit easier than it is now. Now the stronger women swimmers, and this includes current IMH champ Jones, can swim with the top men. Jones et al get a great draft on the swim, while the mid 50’s or slower pro women swimmers now end up swimming a long way on their own and then having to do a long solo chase on the bike. There is a big benefit to being up front and staying up there in the swim and the bike for the women now. That’s why Sam McGlone is going to do very well if she get’s it all together. She has ITU speed on the swim, like Jones and she is no slouch on the bike or the run either - watch out! She’s my pick for a big surpise this year at IMH.
All that being said. Ironman is a long race and even a 10 minute lead off the bike cannot be entirely safe. Anything can happen.
" I think we’d have to include Heather in there.\
Not in the current crop of girls, but historically, I’d put her between 5th to 10th best"
Below are the times she has knocked out in IMLP with even her most recent effort in 2005 was sub 3:10. Lake Placid might not have the heat/humidity of hawaii but it’s still a very challenging course with some nasty hills on the run course.
Women’s Run Heather Fuhr, Canada, 3:01:28-2001Heather Fuhr, Canada, 3:04:21-2004Heather Fuhr, Canada, 3:04:37-2003Maria Monica, Walnut Creek, Calif., 3:04:47-2002Heather Fuhr, Canada, 3:09:11, 2005Joanna Zeiger, Baltimore, Md., 3:10:14-2001Heather Fuhr, Canada, 3:11:36-1999Heather Fuhr, Canada, 3:13:21-2002
I think Gina Ferguson will be up there soon…3.13 off the bike in her second ironman and has only been doing tris for 2.5 years or so? (doesn’t have a running background either…)
As for right now…Rebekah Keat perhaps.
Rebecca Keat.
She will do the fastest run split at Kona this year for the top 10 women and she will win it overall.
She did a 3hr run I think and beat/smashed Belinda Granger who came 8th.
I can’t get the exact split she did at Australia as my machine does not have excel and the pdf only lists her finishing time.
Sonja Krolik 
(OK, not for a long time, and not at Ironman either, but she dominated triathlon running in the early nineties and then went on to do pretty well as a marathon runner, so I bet she could have been pretty good at ironman running too).
couple of others to throw in the mix: Bella Comerford, and Jess Draskau Petersson (when she hasn’t crashed or been crashed into). Jess has gone a touch over 3hrs in austria and sub 3 in NZ (both 04)
why don’t you put Nicole Leder on your list
2:52:46 in Roth 2004
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Monty
One thing you may be overlooking is that Lisa consistently cranks out 3:00-3:08 range marathons. As for not winning Hawaii, it may have something to do with the conditions there compared to other races. Lisa has cystic fibrosis (which makes her accomplishments as a superstar IM athlete even more amazing) and the extra heat/humidity on the big island may have more of an impact on her there than in other race venues. Regardless, she would get my vote as the best runner off the bike for the current IM female pros. The fact that she can overcome 10 minute gaps on a regular basis to win is very impressive.
Does she not have asthma as well? Or does cystic fibrosis require her to use a puffer? I thought I saw her with one in Canada. I may be mistaken though.
I was also thinking of Jess Draskau Petersson. She can run and bike with the best of them. She just needs to gether swim times lower then she will be a serious contender.