Wisconsin native Heather Gollnick gave her home state crowd a big thrill on Sunday, by claiming the women's title at the inaugural Ironman Wisconsin triathlon held in Madison, while regional athletes Mike Llerandi (Ridgewood, N.J.) and Duncan Satchell (Charlotte, N.C.) nabbed coveted slots for this year’s Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii.
 
Madison played host to one of only four Ironman events in the continental United States, hosting the rugged Ironman for the first time in 2002. There are currently 17 Ironman events worldwide, including the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii


More than 1,800 athletes from 25 countries competed at Ironman Wisconsin, which featured 80 qualifying spots to the Ironman World Championship as well as a $25,000 pro prize purse.
   
Gollnick, from nearby Hartford, Wis., took over the lead early in the bike portion of the event, and then hammered her way to victory with an overall time of 9 hours, 54 minutes, 54 seconds. The title was the first of Gollnick's career, who just turned pro this year.
Yoko Okuda of Japan, winner of Ironman Japan in 2001, finished second (10:13:53), while Ironman veteran Wendy Ingraham (Walnut Creek, Calif.) was third in 10:19:57, with Tina Paulson (Andover, Minn.) fourth in 10:23:26 and Jan Guenther (Long Lake, Minn.) fifth on 10:24:42.

The men's race also featured a first time Ironman champion, as Chris Lieto (Danville, Calif.) held off a spirited rally by Chris Legh of Australia to post the first Ironman victory of his career.
  
Lieto took control on the event on the bike, posting the fastest bike (4:43:13) of any competitor on the day, and held off a Legh charge to earn the victory with a time of 8:46:30. Legh, who just raced three weeks ago at Ironman Canada, was able to cut Lieto's lead all the way down to 10 seconds, but couldn't reel Lieto in, finishing with an overall time of 8:51:46. Christophe Buquet of France, who posted the fastest marathon time (2:52:37) finished third in 9:06:18), while Canada's Jamie Cleveland was fourth in 9:11:45 and Peter Kotland (Spartanburg, S.C.) fifth in 9:16:50.
 
The event featured an almost Tour de France type atmosphere, as communities in the outlying regions of the bike course (Verona, Cross Plains, Mt. Hoerb) held festivals in conjunction with the event. "This is largest crowds we have ever had at an Ironman, and maybe of an Ironman ever," said Ironman North America President Graham Fraser. Estimates of crowds at the event range from 50,000 to 75,000. "We are ecstatic about how things went here in our first year in Madison." added Fraser. "We can't wait to come back next year."

Ironman Wisconsin
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Madison, Wisconsin
(2.4 mile swim/112 mile bike/26.2 mile run)

Men

 
1. Chris Lieto, Danville, Calif., 8:46:30
2. Chris Legh, Australia, 8:51:46
3. Christophe Buquet, France, 9:06:18
4. Jamie Cleveland, Canada, 9:11:45
5. Peter Kotland, Spartanburg, S.C., 9:16:50
6. Paul Kemper, Germany, 9:16:55
7. Konrad Von Allem, Switzerland, 9:22:27
8. Swen Sundberg, Germany, 9:24:24
9. Terry Labinshi, Waukesha, Wisc., 9:24:59
10. Todd Wiley, Philadelphia, Pa., 9:27:31


Women

1. Heather Gollnick, Hartford, Wisc., 9:54:54
2. Yoko Okuda, Japan, 10:13:53
3. Wendy Ingraham, Walnut Creek, Calif., 10:19:57
4. Tina Paulson, Andover, Minn., 10:23:26
5. Jan Guenther, Long Lake, Minn., 10:24:42
6. Kirstie Kniaziew, Canada, 10:27:28
7. Michelle Kitze, Kettering, Ohio, 10:30:21
8. Linda Gallo, Santa Clara, Calif., 10:30:49
9. Christina McDonie, Gurnee, Ill., 10:31:35
10. Mimi Boyle, Greenwich, Conn., 10:42:40
 
 
Finishers from the Mid-Atlantic Region