Moller wins Ironman Wales title

Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team’s Kristin Moller put in a commanding display to snatch the Ironman Wales title this weekend, making it her second consecutive UK win after smashing the Ironman UK female course record in Bolton last month, according to a release. The newest recruit to the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)-backed high-performance outfit certainly earned her stripes in the stunning Welsh countryside, finishing in a cumulative time of 10:01:19 ahead of second placed Anja Ippach (10:15:58) of Germany and third place Stefanie Adam (10:40:58) of Belgium. “It was definitely one of the toughest races I have ever done. The bike and run courses were so hilly and there were no flat areas to relax and recharge your energy. Also, the swim leg was changed due to the high winds, so having to start a race in choppy seas, really takes it out of you and means you have to pace yourself. I think I did that well,” said Moller. Faced with rolling waves in what is arguably her weakest discipline, the 28-year-old from Furth dug deep to put in a lung-bursting swim display to keep in touch with the leading pack. A strong start on the subsequent bike leg helped Moller, who over the course of the next eight hours gently chipped away at Ippach’s lead to overtake on the final marathon run. Having already qualified for Ironman’s 2011 World Championship in Kona Hawaii this October, the sport’s pinnacle competition, the Wales win means Moller’s points haul will be added to her 2012 season tally - giving the young German star a major advantage next year. It is the fourth major Ironman win for Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team this season after the UK’s Rachel Joyce also clinched her way to a maiden victory in Lanzarote with a compelling wire-to-wire victory, and team captain, Faris Al Sultan, took honours at Frankfurter Sparkasse European Ironman Championship in Germany. Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team, created by ADTA to further the emirate’s performance athletics’ credentials globally, will compete in more than 30 top international events this season, including the Ironman and 70.3 series, and the World Championships. Meanwhile, Craig Alexander managed to win his second Ironman 70.3 world title on Andy Potts’ front wheel while Melissa Rollison took her first world title just a year after her first 70.3 distance race in Henderson, Nevada. Alexander, who won the his first world championship in 2006 when he won the inaugural Ironman World Championship 70.3, dominated the run portion of the race, but it was an impressive bike ride that set him up for his win. After super-swimmer Potts (the 2008 70.3 world champ) led out of the water, it was Alexander who pushed the pace on the bike to bring the lead group together.