Triathlon: Trio of Ironman champions to compete in the Ralphs California Half Ironman

OCEANSIDE, Calif.-The women’s field at the Ralphs California Half Ironman continues to grow in strength, as three women who have won Ironman titles have been added to the field for the April 3 event.

Heather Gollnick (Hartford, Wisc.), Ute Mueckel (Germany) and Melissa Spooner (Canada), will all compete in the third annual Oceanside event, which will take place in Oceanside and nearby Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

Gollnick has burst onto the professional triathlon scene in very impressive fashion, winning the first three Ironman events that she competed in as a professional.

Gollnick posted the first Ironman win of her career at the inaugural Ironman Wisconsin triathlon held on September of 2002. Gollnick’s overall time of nine hours, 54 minutes and 54 seconds was more than 18 minutes faster than second-place finisher Yoko Okuda of Japan.

The 33-year-old overcame brutal weather conditions to claim her second Ironman Wisconsin women’s title in September of 2003. Gollnick also won the inaugural Ironman USA Coeur d’Alene title back in June of 2003.

Mueckel has claimed a pair of Ironman titles in her career, winning Ironman Germany (1996) and Ironman Switzerland (1997). Mueckel posted times of nine hours, 21 minutes and 30 seconds and 9:32:48 in winning the Germany and Switzerland titles respectively.

The 35-year-old German finished fifth at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii in 1995 and has also posted six other top-five finishes including Subaru Ironman Canada (fifth in 2000), Ironman Germany (fourth in 1998, fifth in 1995) and Ironman New Zealand (1998) and Ironman Florida (2002 and 2003).

Spooner is part of the outstanding contingent of female triathletes who call Canada home. Spooner has claimed three Ironman titles in her career, including the 2000 Ironman USA Lake Placid triathlon.

Spooner has also posted victories at Ironman New Zealand in 1999, and Ironman Lanzarote in 1998. Her 1999 Ironman New Zealand title saw her set the course record for the event, with a time of nine hours, 20 minutes and 41 seconds.

The 1998 season also saw Spooner’s top finish at the Ironman World Championship, as the Canadian finished fourth at the event.

The trio joins defending Ralphs California Half Ironman champion Heather Fuhr (Canada) and last year’s runner-up Andrea Fisher (Austin, Texas) in what is shaping up to be a strong women’s field.

The Ralphs California Half Ironman triathlon takes place for the third time in Oceanside and on neighboring Camp Pendleton. More than 2,000 athletes from around the world are expected to compete. Athletes will be competing for 20 qualifying spots to the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, as well as a $25,000 pro prize purse.

For more information on the Ralphs California Half Ironman, log onto www.ironmancalifornia.com.