Can't pan Potts' Ironman showing

By: RICK HOFF - Staff Writer | Saturday, March 31, 2007 11:26 PM PDT ∞

OCEANSIDE ---- Considering the sizable lead he already had early in the swim, Andy Potts didn't really need any help.

But the professional triathlete got it when the pack behind him took a wrong turn Saturday during the opening discipline of the Ironman 70.3 California Triathlon.

Potts led from wire to wire for his first career victory at the half-Ironman distance, and Kate Major came from behind in the women's race to share the victory podium in the year's first event of the Ironman 70.3 series.

"I grew up as a swimmer, and that's what gave me entry into the sport of triathlon," said Potts, 30. "Swimming is my strong suit, but I'm trying to eliminate any weaknesses I might have.

"I'm trying to be the most complete athlete out there, but I still have work to do."

As a swimmer for the University of Michigan, Potts just missed qualifying for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta when he placed fourth in the Olympic Trials for the 400-meter individual medley. When he opened up a big lead Saturday in the 60-degree waters of Oceanside Harbor, he was in good position to improve on his runner-up finish here last year.

A pack of about 15 swimmers trailing Potts misjudged the swim turnaround and began to circle back before course marshals could get them back on course for the correct turnaround buoy. Potts stayed the course and finished the 1.2-mile swim in 22 minutes, 35 seconds. It was another 2 minutes and 37 seconds before the trailing pack exited the water.

With that kind of lead, Potts went on to a relatively easy victory. He lost a little time on the 56-mile bike course, but compensated with a 1:15:17 half marathon run to finish one tick under four hours at 3:59:59, an improvement of more than three minutes over last year.

Lewis Elliot of Scottsdale, Ariz., a veteran of six Ironman California races, felt something was wrong when the swim pack made the turn.

"When we went off course, I knew we were off course," said Elliot, who was edged by Denmark's Jens Koefoed for second place. "But you've got to go with the pack. As long as I was with the pack, I felt comfortable.

"But regardless of what happened to the rest of us, Andy was the best guy today, period, exclamation point."

Elliot, 26, posted the day's second-fastest bike time (2:17:22) and exchanged positions with Koefoed several times. But it was Koefoed, 32, who had the day's best bike time (2:17:16) to hold off Elliot by 10 seconds and earn a runner-up finish in 4:03:43. Elliot was third in 4:03:53, Australia's Richie Cunningham was fourth in 4:04:57, and Bert Jammaer of Belgium placed fifth in 4:05:13.

Defending champion Luke Bell of Australia, competing just three weeks after placing second at the Ironman New Zealand, faded on the run and placed 11th in 4:12:12.

"At the back end of the bike, I was hurting a little bit," Bell admitted, "and then on the run a piano climbed on my back. I've never done a race so soon after an Ironman, and now I know why nobody does it."

Major, a native Australian who has made a home in Rancho Santa Fe since 2005, had an uphill battle after exiting the water more than three minutes behind women's swim leader Becky Lavelle. But Major, 29, had no equal on the bike, where she had the women's best time of 2:32:34, or the 13.1-mile run, which she covered in 1:21:23.

"I was just trying to pace myself," said Major, whose final time was 4:26:15. "I could tell by my splits I was gaining, but I never let up because we had a lot of tough girls in the race and you never know who might be coming up behind you."

Major was third off the bike, and she assumed the lead less than two miles into the run when she overcame Dede Griesbauer of Boston.

"I know that Kate can run with the wind, so when she went by me, it was no big surprise," said Griesbauer, 36. "She looked great, and I knew I couldn't run with her so I didn't pretend to try."

Griesbauer finished in 4:31:46, and Lavelle wound up third in 4:33:03. Alisha Lion of Holly Springs, N.C., was fourth in 4:34:49, and Leanda Cave of Mill Valley, who finished the swim alongside Lavelle, was fifth in 4:37:46.

More than 1,900 amateurs joined the 33 male and 30 female pros under ideal conditions that were more favorable than the blustery chill of the past two years.

Contact staff writer Rick Hoff at (760) 740-3545 or rhoff@nctimes.com.

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