Over 2,400 athletes started the 2011 Ford Ironman Louisville in the unique time trial swim start.   It was a great day for racing as the weather conditions proved to be favorable and nearly 2,300 completed the course before midnight.  The professional women’s race was won by 42 year old Nina Craft of Germany with a 9:38. Chris McDonald crossed the line first in the men’s race, completing the course in 8:27 and winning his second Ford Ironman Louisville.  McDonald won the inaugural race in 2007 with an 8:38.

Among the field of 2,450 were five Ironman Executive Challenge (XC) athletes.  Interestingly enough, the winners of both the Executive Challenge men’s and women’s races were first-time Ironman competitors.  Jim Burke of Dallas, Texas posted an impressive overall time of 10:33 and placed first in the XC men’s race.  Burke swam 1:07 and set a new XC course record with a 5:14 bike split.  The XC women’s race was won by Kim Baumgartner of Alexandria, VA, who posted a 12:38.  As a result of their XC wins at Louisville, both Burke and Baumgartner soon will compete in their second Ironman distance triathlon at the Ford Ironman World Championship this October.

Matthew Wong of New York, NY, is another XC athlete who is headed for Kona next month to compete at the Ford Ironman World Championship.  Wong finished the men’s race in second place, after racing at the Frankfurter Sparkasse Ironman European Championship just four weeks prior to Louisville. Wong posted the fastest run split for the XC group with a 3:58. Steven Pressman of Santa Monica, CA rounded out the XC men’s group.  Pressman completed the course in 11:50, and raised his number of Ironman finishes to an impressive eleven. The fifth XC competitor in Louisville was Heather Warncke of Seattle, WA.  A Ford Ironman Louisville finisher from the previous year, Warncke decided to participate despite having broken her leg in early July. Viewing the race as a way of testing her recovery, Warncke completed the swim, the bike, and a portion of the run before opting to call it a day.  Warncke has set her sights on the Ford Ironman Florida in November for a full comeback.

The World Triathlon Corporation and Ironman XC would like to thank Michellie Jones and Paul Ambrose for their involvement with the Ironman XC program at 2011 Ford Ironman Louisville event.