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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pete Jacobs, of Australia, celebrates his win in the Ironman World Championship triathlon Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Chris Stewart)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Amateur Ironman athletes wait for the start of the early morning 2.4 mile swim in Kailua Bay during the Ironman World Championship Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Chris Stewart)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ironman defending champion Craig Alexander, left, of Australia and country mate Pete Jacobs run with their bicycles on the Kailua Pier to begin a 112 mile bike ride during the Ironman World Championship Saturday Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Chris Stewart)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ironman athletes mill about before the start of the early morning 2.4 mile swim in Kailua Bay during the Ironman World Championship Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Chris Stewart)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ironman athlete Leanda Cave of Britain begins the 26.2 mille marathon of the Ironman World Championship Saturday Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Chris Stewart)
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii >> Australia’s Pete Jacobs won the Ironman world championship today, beating Germany’s Andreas Raelert by more than 4 minutes.
The 31-year-old Jacobs, second last year, finished the 2.4-mile ocean swim in Kailua Bay, 112-mile bike ride through the scorching lava fields along the Kohala Coast and 26.2-mile run through Kailua Village and out onto Queen Kaahumanu Highway in 8 hours, 18 minutes, 37 seconds.
“I’m in love with this sport,” Jacobs said moments after winning. “I’m so lucky to have this opportunity and have a good day out there. It was an unbelievable day and there’s much love out there.”
Jacobs was second off bike, more than 8 minutes behind Belgium’s Marino Vanhoenacker, and passed Vanhoenacker with little more than 10 miles left in the marathon. The winner earned $120,000.
The 36-year-old Raelert has his third top-three finish in four years. He finished in 8:23:40.
Belgium’s Frederik Van Lierde was third in 8:24:09.
Vanhoenacker faded badly in the run after Jacobs passed him and wasn’t a factor at the finish.
In the women’s race, Britain’s Leanda Cave pulled away in the last 3 miles of the run to win her second world title of the year. The 34-year-old Cave won the Ironman 70.3 world championship last month and carried that momentum into Kona, finishing in 9:15:54.
“I’m kind of speechless,” she said. “I just hope they don’t come out with another distance. I’m getting too old for this.”
Switzerland’s Caroline Steffen was second in 9:16:58.
