Outside of Dave’s 2nd place in 1994 that is. Does anyone know what the highest any 40+ athlete has placed overall?
Thanks.
not sure, but karen smyers’ 9th place female overall in 2005–at 44 years old–has to be up there.
What’s incredible is that she beat every male and female over 40 at one of the Ironman’s this decade.
“What’s incredible is that she beat every male and female over 40 that year.”
Don’t get me wrong, Karen IS a terrific athlete - but even she doesn’t do her transitions in a phone booth. According to the official results for 2005, there were at least 14 males (this database didn’t display any pros after 8:56) who were faster:
- Peter Kropko, Pro, 42, 8:46:41
- Pierre LaVoie, 1st in 40-44, 9:02:25
- Bent Anderson, 2nd in 40-44, 9:03:51
- Carmine Soriano, 3rd in 40-44, 9:11:01
- Brian Keast, 1st in 45-49, 9:11:56
- John Mergler, 2nd in 45-49, 9:17:40
- Albert Boyce, 4th in 40-44, 9:18:49
- Chuck Sperazza, 3rd in 45-49, 9:21:30
- Mike Llerandi, 5th in 40-44, 9:21:47
- Eric Ridez, 6th in 40-44, 9:22:10
- Michael Hagen, 7th in 40-44, 9:23:07
- Robert Schloegel, 8th in 40-44, 9:29:05
- Michael Kruger, 9th in 40-44, 9:29:05
- Michaelf Meteyer, 4th in 45-49, 9:29:05
- Karen Smyers, 9:30;47
Karen Smyers is to M40-44 what Chrissie Wellington is to MPro…if any of these studs slow down, the female hurricanes blow by!!! As much smack/heat/flack as Nina kraft has taken for her EPO positive and ensuing repenting, let’s not count her out of 40-44 either!
Look like we need to clarify Pros vs. AGers.
As far as I am concerned, once they hit 40, we’re all age groupers…pros, and non pros. Realistically, there are very few pros (Smyers aside) who are making a living exclusively off triathlon winnings…they need to supplement with other jobs, at which point, they are just ‘regular guys’.
What we really need is an “elite masters”’ category complete with prize money…let’s throw all the big guys and girls who were the heros from the 80’s and 90’s back into the ring like the weathered gladiators that they are…
Actually, Karen was the top over 40 in 2001.
Top over-40 woman? Sure. But the claim was that she was the best PERSON over 40 at the 2005 race - and that was clearly wrong.
As for 2001, Karen finished 5th woman in 9:48:34. I couldn’t immediately find the complete overall results for that year - but a quick check of the story carried by Inside Triathlon shows at least five men in 40-44 went faster (the results only went five deep) and four more in 45-49. And that doesn’t include any of the over-40 pros.
She’s good, guys . . . but geez.
Not sure what article you read, but I have the official results from 2001 and karen was top PERSON over 40 that year. She went 9:48:34 as you said, but the top 40-44 guy was David Gatz at 9:53:23 and the top 45-49 was Joe Bonness at 10:01:30. The only male pro over 40 that year was Dave Scott who dropped out.
You are right - I picked up the magazine with the 2003 results. In 2001, Karen beat all of the age group men over 40. My apologies.
The full results for 2001 do not seem to be available on the web right now. The official Ironman site does not have them and only limited results were published in the magazines (as would be expected). So, to be absolutely sure of the assertion, I would have to see the full list of pro men. The Inside Tri article only did the top 20, which stopped at 9:11, and did not publish any actual ages. Because of his 2005 finish (at the ge of 42), we know Peter Kropko - 11th in 2001 in 8:59 - was a babe of 38 in 2001. But we don’t know which other vets may have been in the pro field that day.
Thanks Lew, for digging into this. I must admit when I wrote the post I was looking for the highest placing 40+ male athlete.
I was a little gender-centric there and I am glad that Karen’s performances came up. I was out there in that wind in 2001 and the fact that she beat all the men that day is really something.
That being said, is there any way to find out who, outside of Dave, has had the best placing overall out there as a 40+ male?
Thanks again to everyone for your responses.
Thanks Lew, for digging into this. I must admit when I wrote the post I was looking for the highest placing 40+ male athlete.
I was a little gender-centric there and I am glad that Karen’s performances came up. I was out there in that wind in 2001 and the fact that she beat all the men that day is really something.
That being said, is there any way to find out who, outside of Dave, has had the best placing overall out there as a 40+ male?
Thanks again to everyone for your responses.
It is quite possible John Howard was over 40 when he won the event.
Lew - if you have access to some early results, (forgive my poor memory) but there was an older German in the early 80s (Klaus?) who finished near the top (4th?). The following year, he was understandably upset that Ironman did not issue him with a Race Number that reflected his finish from the previous year. At 40 years of age, he turned in another top 10 result.
Brian
Klaus Barth - 1985 8th, 1986 4th. I think he was 40 in 1986…Lew, anyone? Can you confirm?
EDIT: Klaus was 37 in 1986 so that rules him out. Still a terrific performance.
Klaus was 37 in 1986. Sadly, he passed away in October 2006 from brain cancer: Klaus Barth Foundation.
Heidi - is this really you? Karen says “hi”.
Hi Lew! Yes, it’s me. Tell Karen I said hi. We’ll have to catch up some time, but I suppose it’s rude to hijack this thread.
Heidi
Found a feature we did on Klaus in the February issue of Triathlon Today. Nice photo of his family at the 1986 awards banquet - youngest was still in a high-chair. Born in East Germany, family escaped to West Germany in 1955. West German national champion 4x in 200 breast. Recruited by Don Gambril for the powerhouse swim teams at Long Beach State in the late 60’s; famed U of Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek was one of his teammates. Competed in 1968 Olympic Games for W. Germany. Long-time swim coach at Long Beach Wilson HS & the Long Beach Swim Club. Wife Shari, three (now adult, of course) children. Self-professed junk-food lover.
Klaus’s record at IM Kona included a 15th in his first try (1983), passing out at the nine-mile mark of the run in 1984 (the hottest day ever at that race), 8th in 1985, 4th in 1986 (only Scott, Allen, and Tinley beat him), and first in 40-44 in both 1989 and 1990.
In a sidebar, we summarized his training schedule for a calendar year:
Nov - Feb. Base training, 10 hours per week
Mar - May. Medium intensity, 20 hours per week
Jul - Sep. High Intensity, 30 hours per week
Oct. Taper and race.
Typical week in High Intensity period:
**Tuesdays. Up to 150 mile bike (avg 20), followed by up to 10 mile run
**Fridays. Up to 80 miles on bike, followed by up to 20 mile run.
**Other days. 50-70 mile bike, up to 10 mile run
**Swim 3x per week, no more than 10,000 meters total. Lots of pulling, intervals, and hypoxic work.
**One day completely off
Other facets of training:
**trains through all other races
**will change schedule for health, conditions, or needs of others
**times EVERYTHING
**3-week taper for IM
**Key workout was Tuesday long ride & run while tired
The full results for 2001 do not seem to be available on the web right now. The official Ironman site does not have them and only limited results were published in the magazines (as would be expected). So, to be absolutely sure of the assertion, I would have to see the full list of pro men. The Inside Tri article only did the top 20, which stopped at 9:11, and did not publish any actual ages. Because of his 2005 finish (at the ge of 42), we know Peter Kropko - 11th in 2001 in 8:59 - was a babe of 38 in 2001. But we don’t know which other vets may have been in the pro field that day.
Lew
You are correct Lew. I remember that year well, and Karen was the fastest person over 40. There were no men Pros over 40 that year. You did an age graded ranking that year, unfortuatley I have no idea where a copy of it is around here.
http://www.triresults.com/triathlon_results.cfm?event_year_id=58&start=2&overall=1518
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