Max Neumann and Kylie Simpson took top honors at IRONMAN Cairns, which serves as the Asian-Pacific Ironman Championship.
Women
Compared to Neumann’s very steady domination, Simpson’s road to victory was a spectacular rags to riches tale. Simpson began her day with a 20:35 deficit after the swim, stopped the bleeding with a women’s second-best 4:58:04 bike split, then turned on the afterburners with a spectacular 2:53:21 run – 20:16 better than the next-best marathon by Amelia Watkinson of Ne4w Zealand. Simpson finished in 9:06:35 with a 3:18 advantage on Watkinson and 7:25 over 3rd place finisher Chloe Lane of Australia.
Simpson thus improved her third place finish at this race last year, while Watkinson dropped one place while failing to defend her 2020 Ironman Cairns title.
Men
Neumann combined a second-fastest 43:54 swim, a race-best 4:26:24 bike split and a dominating 2:43:57 marathon to finish in 7:58:55 with a 7:34 margin on Tim Van Berkel and 11:16 ahead of 3rd place finisher Josh Amberger.
Neumann thus defended his 2020 Ironman Cairns title and earned his second win of 2021 after taking Challenge Shepparton in April.
IRONMAN Cairns – Asia Pacific Championships
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
June 6, 2021
S 2.4 mi. / B 112 mi. / R 26.2
Women
1. Kylie Simpson (AUS) S 1:09:32 T1 3:11 B 4:58:04 T2 2:30 R 2:53:21 TOT 9:06:35
2. Amelia Watkinson (NZL) S 53:05 T1 B 4:57:33 T2 2:27 R 3:13:37 TOT 9:09:53
3. Chloe Lane (AUS) S 50:30 T1 3:04 B 4:58:31 T2 2:02 R 3:19:55 TOT 9:14:00
4. Penny Slater (AUS) S 55:59 T1 B 5:02:37 T2 2:58 R 3:13:55 TOT 9:18:19
5. Renee Kiley (AUS) S 53:44 T1 3:30 B 4:54:30 T2 2:47 R 3:27:21 TOT 9:21:50
6. Rebecca Clarke (NZL) 48:57 T1 3:26 B 5:06:36 T2 3:12 R 3:36:49 TOT 9:38:58
7. Courtney Gilfillan (AUS) S 50:52 T1 3:29 B 5:36:07 T2 2:16 R 3:20:18 TOT 9:53:00
8. Helena Hayes (AUS) S 58:08 T1 3:32 B 5:20:39 T2 2:05 R 3:38:42 TOT 10:03:03
9. Sarah Thomas (AUS) S 1:06:34 T1 3:06 B 5:35:19 T2 1:57 R 3:29:14 TOT 10:16:07
10. Shannon Sutton (AUS) S 1:06:45 T1 4:31 B 5:51:52 T2 3:25 R 3:33:25 TOT 10:39:56
Men
1. Max Neumann (AUS) S 43:54 T1 2:36 B 4:26:24 T2 2:06 R 2:43:57 TOT 7:58:55
2. Tim Van Berkel (AUS) S 46:13 T1 2:35 B 4:29:37 T2 2:08 R 2:46:08 TOT 8:06:39
3. Josh Amberger (AUS) S 43:29 T1 2:38 B 4:26:44 T2 R 2:54:45 TOT 8:120:12
4. Simon Hearn (AUS) S 46:10 T1 2:35 B 4:29:38 T2 2:44 R 2:50:16 TOT 8:11:21
5. Mike Phillips (NZL) S 46:11 T1 2:28 B 4:29:54 T2 2:04 R 2:56:26 TOT 8:17:03
6. Levi Maxwell (AUS) S 49:46 T1 2:20 B 4:38:59 T2 2:14 R 2:45:56 TOT 8:19:12
7. Timothy Reed (AUS) S 46:03 T1 2:46 B 4:34:12 T2 2:36 R 3:00:35 TOT 8:26:09
8. Ben Phillips (AUS) S 46:13 T1 2:51 B 4:38:58 T2 2:38 R 3:01:49 TOT 8:32:28
9. Fraser Walsh (AUS) S 46:18 T1 2:34 B 4:42:54 T2 3:27 R 3:06:35 TOT 8:41:46
10. Simon Billeau (FRA) S 51:41 T1 2:55 B 4:40:13 T2 2:21 R 3:07:40 TOT 8:44:48
