Posted: June 26, 2006

Triathlon: Zeiger wins the 2006 Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene

By Helen Manning, June 25, 2006

Coeur d’Alene, IDAHO – Joanne Zeiger led the women’s race from the beginning, maintaining a steady pace through the finish-line at the Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene held for the fourth time here today. The race took place on a clear but very warm day with the heat challenging the athletes.

Expected to be with the leaders after the swim, Zeiger set a fast pace on the bike building her lead over the rest of the field. She managed to drop a number of the early leaders and by the end of the bike she, along with Kate Major in second and Heather Gollnick in third had put quite a gap between them and the rest of the pro field. Gollnick came off the bike in third but early in the marathon ran down Major to take second. That would remain the order throughout the run and Zeiger took the title in a time of 9:31:07 with Gollnick at 9:36.39 and Major at 9:41:18.

This is the second Ironman title for Zeiger, 36-years-old, the first coming at the 2005 Ironman Brazil Race. Zeiger is a resident of Boulder, Colo and is a Genetic Epidemiologist.

The 2006 Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene featured the women’s pro race, alternating with Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid where the men’s pro race will take place this year. Athletes were competing for a $50,000. women’s pro purse and 80 qualifying spots for the Ford Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.

For more information about Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene, please log onto www.ironmancda.com or www.ironman.com.

Top Ten Women Finishers
1.  Joanna Zeiger, Boulder, Colo		9:31:07
2.  Heather Gollnick, Bradenton. Fla.		9:36.39
3.  Kate Major, San Diego, Calif.		9:41:18
4.  Jess Draskau-Petersson, Britain		9:54:27
5.  Hillary Biscay, Palos Verdes, Calif		9:59:46
6.  Gina Kehr, Redwood City, Calif                  10:04:04
7.  Linsey Pickell, Missoula, Montana	            10:07:53
8.  Sian Welch. Encinitas, Calif.	            10:09:47
9.  Tamara Kozulina, Ukraine	            10:10:46
10. Tara Norton, Canada		            10:11:27

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