Lots of Pro drafting penalties. They either don’t care and it’s worth the risk or referees are finally enforcing it strict.
Where are you watching it? It said it was on Outside but isn’t showing up when I click the link on their website. It just goes to the pro series schedule…
Where are you watching it? It said it was on Outside but isn’t showing up when I click the link on their website. It just goes to the pro series schedule…
I’m able to watch it in Outside
Outside if you are in the US. YT if you are elsewhere: https://www.youtube.com/live/vKloZn3CNCI?si=8sqaPR6k_eMfmcTS
So looks like Skipper rode the whole way solo pretty much, caught the group of 7 who were chasing the off the front leader right at the end. But he seems to be going backwards a bit on the run, but just could be better runners going away from him. Yes he is fast, but I think Currie has done 2;36 on this course in the past, and others are around the low 2;40’s. Could be an interesting race in the end, but really cannot get to excited about this coverage and camera shots mostly on the leaders…
Man, Skipper just cannot put together a good performance. Wonder if he’ll pivot to YT/Hyrox for the rest of the year.
Was Matt Burton on a motorbike???
Skipper finishes 6th, one spot away from Kona qualification (as Burton already had a slot).
https://track.rtrt.me/e/IRM-CAIRNS-2024#/leaderboard/top-pro-men-ironman/FINISH
It’s not cool that I’m not discussing other athletes who are stronger than Skipper, but hey - “training has been going wellâ€â€¦
Was Matt Burton on a motorbike???Great post-race interview from Burton. Given how close Philiips (chip fail) was to Currie, pity we didn’t see more of that. Yes: Skipper misses out of an IMWCQ by one place.
Strong race from Berry in a close race (77 seconds spanning the top 3 at T2). She is having her best run ever: normally she runs around 3:09 but looks to be heading for 3:05 and that will get her the win ahead of Wilms.
Brandon is having a good run for her so far, but.
Simpson will run up onto podium soon at this rate. How on earth can she swim so slow (68)? Great ride in 4:41 and heading for another fast run: about 2:55. That bike/run is competitive with the very best.
Further back Fiona Moriarty might get an IMWCQ but Ueda closing and Priarone might catch her too.
Was Matt Burton on a motorbike???
He was flying, His bike has really improved this last year.
He has always been a super biker. Just never been able to string the run together to polish it off. The last two races have been superb for him. IM failed to mention he broke the Australian Ironman record (in Busso in December). Despite the recent injury (which he lost 10 weeks of training), he has been building nicely.
Skipper finishes 6th, one spot away from Kona qualification (as Burton already had a slot).
https://track.rtrt.me/...o-men-ironman/FINISH
It’s not cool that I’m not discussing other athletes who are stronger than Skipper, but hey - “training has been going wellâ€â€¦
This sets up the Sanders/Skipper IMLP battle
Skipper finishes 6th, one spot away from Kona qualification (as Burton already had a slot).
https://track.rtrt.me/...o-men-ironman/FINISH
It’s not cool that I’m not discussing other athletes who are stronger than Skipper, but hey - “training has been going wellâ€â€¦
This sets up the Sanders/Skipper IMLP battle
I hope you’re right. Or it could be more of a rout…
Skipper finishes 6th, one spot away from Kona qualification (as Burton already had a slot).
https://track.rtrt.me/...o-men-ironman/FINISH
It’s not cool that I’m not discussing other athletes who are stronger than Skipper, but hey - “training has been going wellâ€â€¦
This sets up the Sanders/Skipper IMLP battle
I hope you’re right. Or it could be more of a rout…
You mean Trevor could wipe the floor with both ?
[quote marcag
This sets up the Sanders/Skipper IMLP battle
.
Yep, the battle of the soon to be retired… 
.
Im impressed at the age grouper/ open water phenom (from googling) who outswam Amberger and the pro men leaders by almost 2 min. Pretty crazy to me. Different race and all that but that is motoring.
Was their a suit difference in this race between pros and AG’s?? I see he is about a 16 flat 1500m swimmer, so pretty good in the pool but not really ahead of the top pro triathletes. Perhaps his prowess is the OW…
has always been a super biker. Just never been able to string the run together to polish it off. The last two races have been superb for him. IM failed to mention he broke the Australian Ironman record (in Busso in December). Despite the recent injury (which he lost 10 weeks of training), he has been building nicely.
@Gilliga wanted their own ‘IM Cairns’ thread to eulogise Burton’s win:
Matt Burton got the win at Ironman Cairns holding off Braden Currie and Mike Phillips with Joe Skipper in 6th place. Big result for Burton, who has had some good IM’s in the past, but I think only won at IM west Aus a few years back. He races generally on the back of a strong bike, but today he put about 5 mins into Skipper’s bike split so must be in excellent bike form, then ran really well to keep Currie from catching him.
We will likely see him in the front group starting the run in Kona based on his Bike and solid swim. He often runs around 2:45 and did again in Cairns, if he can get that down a little he could be a dark horse in Hawaii. Apparently it was really hot in Cairns yesterday, with lighter winds. It looks like skipper is just off his best thus far this season, but not far away. It was good he made it to Aus to race. Too bad Sam Long pulled out, there were 4 kona slots and 3 of the top guys already had a slot so he would have been likely able to pick up a slot.Allow me to comment on some of these points, and dragging it across to the IM Cairns thread:
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" put about 5 mins into Skipper’s bike split so must be in excellent bike form" Skipper was second fastest and was ‘only’ 3:33 down. But to deduce Burton’s form by comparison with Skipper is shaky given the latter’s form over the last 12 months, really since his Kona 2022 ride where he matched the Norges and Neumann.
https://www.trirating.com/...4-analyzing-results/ -
“looks like skipper is just off his best thus far this season, but not far away” I regret Skipper is still way off his best.
Burton rode very well, as he did at Busselton, where his 2:44 off that saw him under the previous course record btw (Brownlee’s/Neumann’s). It will be interesting if Burton travelled to actually race a competitive field as opposed to
just Australasia. Previously he has not prospered in decent races (two world champs in 2022, PTO Asia in 2023).
https://stats.protriathletes.org/athlete/matt-burton -
“ran really well to keep Currie from catching him” Observe that Currie ran 4 minutes slower than he did last year.
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“We will likely see him in the front group starting the run in Kona based on his bike and solid swim” Let’s not call this trolling, “Likely”: more a case of forlorn hope! Having said that it’d be great to see Burton and Laidlow start the run together alone, and both be chased down.
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“Too bad Sam Long pulled out, . . . he would have been likely able to pick up a slot.” Clearly possible, but ‘likely’ would require Long to suddenly have a competent full distance race Those have been few and far between. And for what? A start at Kona (chasing IM Pro Series points primarily), to participate, attempt to avoid overbiking, and shout yo yo yos when there was anyone around to hear (eg in town).
I guess Skipper thought he was likely to gain IMWCQ from Cairns, but was one off. Should (same as Sanders) be able to seal the deal at IMLP (4 MPRO) as a few will already be qualified.
Concur with all of that. If Burton cracks the top 10 I would be pleasantly suprised. He will most def not come out front pack swim/bike.
3) “ran really well to keep Currie from catching him” Observe that Currie ran 4 minutes slower than he did last year.//
Which is likely due to having to ride harder and chase a legit contender putting time into him for most of the ride. It is not a zero sum game triathlon, you ride harder than usual, you can expect a slower that usual run. Calculus is always to figure out where that too fast is, and also to keep yourself in the actual race if it is up the road… This was in the old Stadler playbook, ride the legs off the fastest runners, and you can then use your run to hold them off…