Outrival Racing owner Michelle LeBlanc of The Woodlands entered this year's Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas with the knowledge that if the day went as planned, she and her family would be making an October trip to Hawaii.
There would await a slot in the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Overcoming an achilles injury that had hampered her for approximately two years, she recorded the second-best time -- nine hours, 53 minutes and 29 seconds -- of any female age grouper.
And put the hurt on the rest of her age group with a decisive 19-minute plus win over second-place 35-39 competitor, Noelia Fernandez Cruz of Argentina.
But the question many are beginning to ask is: "What are Michelle's chances in Kona?"
And breaking down the field, its been found that LeBlanc is one of only six women to go sub-10 in the last year, including three who did so at the World Championship a year ago.
With the exception of this weekend's Subaru Ironman Canada and Ford Ironman Louisville, these women earned their slot at the Ironman distance since last September and are on the participant list as of August 13:
+09:51:26 - Sheila Croft, Redmond, WA, IM World Championship, 2011, 1st
+09:53:29 - Michelle LeBlanc, The Woodlands, TX, IM Texas, 2012, 1st
+09:55:40 - Monique Grossrieder, Dudingen, SUI, IM Switzerland, 2012, 1st
+09:58:13 - Bianca Grosse, Dill, Germany, IM European Championship, 2012, 1st
+10:02:31 - Sandra Fantini, Valbonne, FRA, IM Arizona, 2011, 1st
+10:03:00 - Marie Repec, Gibraltar, MI, IM Arizona, 2011, 2nd
+10:07:01 - Inga Haude, Konigslutter, Germany, IM Regensburg, 2012, 1st
+10:08:20 - Kym Jaenke, Sinnamon Park, QLD, IM Australia, 2012, 1st
+10:11:35 - Lauren Henzler, Allison Park, PA, IM Arizona, 2011, 3rd
+10:12:14 - Janine Willis, Bicton, WA, IM Western Australia, 2011, 1st
+10:12:54 - Noelia Fernandez Cruz, Argentina, IM Texas, 2012, 2nd
+10:13:34 - Andrea Hutchins, St. Joseph, MI, IM Wisconsin, 2011, 1st
+10:18:46 - Ali Black, Salt Lake City, UT, IM Coeur D'Alene, 2012, 1st
+10:18:52 - Richele Frank, Canada, IM Cozumel, 2011, 1st
+10:18:55 - Elke Vanrenterghem, Belgium, IM Cozumel, 2011, 2nd
+10:21:23 - Jennifer Hanley-Pinto, Jacksonville, FL, IM Coeur D'Alene, 2012, 2nd
+10:24:45 - Lisa Fletcher-Hepburn, Long Jetty, NSW, IM Asia-Pacific Championship, 2012, 3rd
+10:26:17 - Astrid Rogl, Wien, Austria, IM Austria, 2012, 2nd
+10:26:43 - Sharley Simpson, USA, IM Cozumel, 2011, 3rd
+10:29:00 - Kelly Tolentino, Pinehurst, NC, IM Florida, 2011, 1st
+10:29:13 - Daniela (Dany) Moehle, Austria, IM Cozumel, 2011, 4th
+10:30:34 - Tiffany Loftus-Hills, Armadale, VIC, AUS, IM Asia-Pacific Championship, 5th
+10:31:01 - Vanessa Colless, Hokkaido, Australia, IM Regensburg, 2012, 2nd
+10:32:58 - Catherine Thiele, Mooloolaba, QLD, IM Australia, 2012, 2nd
+10:33:40 - Keena Schaerrer, USA, IM Cozumel, 2011, 5th
+10:33:46 - Meredith Colaizzi, 35, Glenshaw, PA, IM Arizona, 2011, 5th 30-34
+10:34:30 - Julie Shelley, Chicago, IL, IM Florida, 2011, 2nd
+10:35:17 - Cyrma Hearn, 37, Tyabb, Victoria/AUS, IM Asia-Pacific Championship, 6th
+10:36:15 - Estelle-Marie Kieffer, Strasbourg, France, IM France, 2012, 1st
+10:37:35 - Shannon Kemp, Aurora, ON, IM Wisconsin, 2011, 2nd
+10:38:24 - Cortney Haile, Santa Monica, CA, IM Coeur D'Alene, 2012, 3rd
+10:38:28 - Fernanda Caio Da Fonseca, Sao Paulo, Brazil, IM Brazil, 2012, 1st
+10:39:25 - Sabine Steinscherer, Klagenfurt, Austria, IM Austria, 2012, 3rd
+10:39:51 - Valentina Kislukhina, Moscow, RUS, IM Switzerland, 2012, 3rd
+10:40:04 - Andrea Zezelic, Toronto, Canada, IM European Championship, 2012, 2nd
+10:43:11 - Victoria Wilkinson, Cheltenham, GBR, IM Wales, 2012, 1st
+10:44:49 - Alana Kennedy-Nasser, Bellaire, TX, IM Florida, 2011, 3rd
+10:45:31 - Pamela Criddle, 35, Mt. Claremont, WAA, IM Western Australia, 2011 2nd 30-34
+10:45:45 - Angie DeFilippi, Colchester, VT, IM Lake Plaicd, 2012, 1st
+10:46:54 - Alexandra Buerger, Spiegel, SUI, IM France, 2012, 3rd
+10:50:50 - Jennifer Nicol, Toronto, ON, IM Wisconsin, 2011, 3rd
+10:54:01 - Eliza Brabyn, Brisbane, QLD, IM Cairns, 2012, 2nd
+11:01:12 - Susanne Gries, Germany, IM South Africa, 2012, 1st
+11:03:47 - Dierdre Douglas, Montreal, QC, IM Wisconsin, 2011, 4th
+11:06:28 - Natalie Kerr, Coffs Harbour, NSW, IM Cairns, 2012, 3rd
+11:37:15 - Jennifer Sloan, Tulsa, OK, IM St. George, 2012, 1st
+11:43:32 - Tina Geller, Encino, CA, IM St. George, 2012, 2nd
+11:54:09 - Amanda Lawrence, Mansfield Center, CT, IM St. George, 2012, 3rd
+11:55:25 - Jill Wilkinson, Chester, GBR, IM Wales, 2012, 3rd
+12:01:21 - Lisa Heisinger, Santa Rosa, CA, IM St. George, 2012, 4th
+12:12:49 - Nicole Johnson, Milton, Canada, IM United Kingdom, 2012, 3rd
+12:18:03 - Andrea Bess, Waikoloa, HI, IM St. George, 2012, 5th
The following women earned their slots at an Ironman 70.3 that awarded Kona slots, this year's shortened Ironman New Zealand or had finished Ironman 70.3 Hawaii and were selected in a lottery for Big Island residents:
*04:32:51 - Hilary Wicks, Papakura, NZ, IM New Zealand, 2012, 1st
(Note: Wicks is aging up after posting a 9:51:07 at last year's World Championship.)
+04:41:27 - Shiao Yu Li, 35, Taipei, Taiwan, IM Japan 70.3, 2012, 1st
(Note: Yu Li has gone 9:59:33 and 10:47:20 at the last two World Championships.)
+04:42:28 - Tyla Brown, 35, Lake Orion, MI, IM Eagleman 70.3, 2012, 1st
(Note: Brown's only IM is an 11:09:33 at IM Florida last November.)
*04:51:08 - Gigi Green, Auckland, NZ, IM New Zealand, 2012, 3rd
+04:54:47 - Melisa Christian, 35, Dallas, TX, IM Buffalo Springs 70.3, 2012, 1st
(Note: The two-time Olympic Marathon Trialist will be making her IM debut.)
+04:57:08 - Sarah Newsome, 37, Palmyra, NY, IM Buffalo Springs 70.3, 2012, 2nd
+04:57:16 - Nell Stephenson, 38, Pacific Palisades, CA, IM Hawaii 70.3, 2012, 2nd
(Note: Stephenson has competed in the last three World Championships with a 10:17:38 showing in 2011.)
+04:59:29 - Linda Guinoiseau, 39, Issy Les Moulineau, FRA, IM St. Croix 70.3, 1st
+05:03:13 - Rosalind Selbach, 36, Honolulu, HI, IM Hawaii 70.3, 2012, 4th
+05:03:08 - Jenny Gowans, 37, GBR/NZL, IM Laguna Phuket 70.3, 2011, 1st
+05:11:08 - Charo Egan, 38, Parker, CO, IM St. Croix 70.3, 2nd
+05:12:05 - Alicia Medak, 39, London, GBR, IM Laguna Phukey 70.3, 2011, 2nd
+05:14:35 - Megumi Kobayashi, 39, Sakata Hamanaka, Japan, IM Laguna Phuket 70.3, 2011, 3rd
+05:25:29 - Sylvia Ravaglia, 35, Kamuela, HI, IM Hawaii 70.3, Big Island Lottery
+06:21:15 - Tiffany Lindsey, 36, Kamuela, HI, IM Hawaii 70.3, Big Island Lottery
+06:41:58 - Cassidy Landes, 36, Kailua-Kona, HI, IM Hawaii 70.3, Big Island Lottery
These women finished in the top five at this weekend's Ford Ironman Louisville and Subaru Ironman Canada. It is not known yet how many slots were available.
10:28:24 - Suzanne Boyd, Calgary, AB, IM Canada, 2012, 1st
10:31:53 - Judith Coyle, Issaquah, WA, IM Canada, 2012, 2nd
10:34:05 - Liza Rachetto, 38, Los Altos, CA, IM Canada, 2012, 3rd
10:35:02 - Pia Scaroni, 37, San Francisco, CA, IM Canada, 2012, 4th
10:38:49 - Kelly Carrington, 35, Denver, CO, IM Canada, 2012, 5th
10:47:53 - Shannon Florea, Lexington, KY, IM Louisville, 2012, 1st
10:58:11 - Tina Zamora, San Jose, CA, IM Louisville, 2012, 2nd
10:58:32 - Teri Twarkins, Cave Creek, AZ, IM Louisville, 2012, 3rd
11:00:50 - Mariana Lara Albert, Montpelier, VT, IM Louisville, 2012, 4th
11:36:24 - Melinda Peters, Finksburg, MD, IM Louisville, 2012, 5th
These three women earned their slots through either the Lottery or the new Kona Inspired program:
REGULAR LOTTERY - Kathy Laska, 39, MA/USA
INSPIRED - Molli Serrano, 39, FL/USA
INSPIRED - Heather Wajer, 39, CA/USA
It is undetermined how these women earned their slots:
Jamie Van Vuren, 39, IL/USA
Priscilla Shaw, 37, HI/USA
These two women are on the participant list for the 35-39 age group, but competed in a 2012 event listed at the age of 40:
#04:47:09 - Kelli Montgomery, 39, Wallingford, CT, IM Eagleman 70.3, 2012, 2nd
#12:09:54 - Kirsty Thompson, 39, Cape Town Western Cape, South Africa, IM South Africa, 2012, 3rd
And here is a complete list of all of the remaining women who finished in the top five of a qualifying Ironman from September 2011 to August 2012:
09:42:05 - Kristy Hallett, Bonbeach, Victoria, AU, IM Asia-Pacific Championship, 1st
(This article confirms that Hallett didn't take her slot -- http://www.cbdcycles.com.au/newsdetails.php?newsid=434)
10:01:02 - Constance Mochar, Klagenfurt, Austria, IM Austria, 2012, 1st
10:03:32 - Caroline Ashby, Eneabba, WA, IM Asia-Pacific Championship, 2nd
10:04:41 - Monica Dalidowicz, North Curl, NSW, IM Cairns, 2012, 1st
10:05:48 - Simone Wirth, Ortschwaben, SUI, IM Sweden, 2012, 1st
10:14:13 - Natalie Groves, Montreal, QC, IM Mont-Tremblant, 2012, 1st
10:14:57 - Simone Wirth, Switzerland, IM Texas, 2012, 3rd
10:23:23 - Audra Adair, Greenwood Village, CO, IM Texas, 2012, 4th
10:25:12 - Neilia Bliss, Austin, TX, IM Texas, 2012, 5th
10:25:14 - Natalie Sheffield, Hawthorn, East Victoria, AU, IM Asia-Pacific Championship, 2012, 4th
10:26:29 - Maria Rydlund, Hassleholm, Sweden, IM Sweden, 2012, 2nd
10:27:24 - Deborah Powell, Guelph, ON, IM Mont-Tremblant, 2012, 2nd
10:28:29 - Leslie Black, Toronto, ON, IM Mont-Tremblant, 2012, 3rd
10:28:41 - Vera Notz, Murten, SUI, IM Switzerland, 2012, 2nd
10:32:42 - Malin Annebock, Sollentuna, Sweden, IM Sweden. 2012, 3rd
10:34:09 - Dagmar Gard, Wangen, Germany, IM Regensburg, 2012, 3rd
10:34:11 - Martha Koekemoer, South Africa, IM Western Australia, 2011, 2nd
10:37:51 - Elvy Lapointe, Sherbrooke, QC, IM Mont-Tremblant, 2012, 4th
10:38:38 - Allison Ferry, Bateau Bay, NSW, IM Australia, 2012, 3rd
10:39:21 - Nathalie Peillex, Aix Les Bains, France, IM France, 2012, 2nd
10:42:45 - Caroline Behme, Huntersville, NC, IM Arizona, 2011, 4th
10:45:37 - Keri Rimel, Austin, TX, IM Arizona, 2011, 5th
10:46:42 - Florencia Schneeberger, Argentina, IM Brazil, 2012, 2nd
10:47:08 - Jane Snowden, Rossmoyne, WA, IM Western Australia, 2011, 3rd
10:47:45 - Danielle O'Dell, Nantucket, MA, IM Mont-Tremblant, 2012, 5th
10:48:09 - Lotta Nordbeck, Vallentuna, Sweden, IM Sweden, 2012, 4th
10:48:44 - Jodie Barker, Harrison, ACT, IM Australia, 2012, 4th
10:48:45 - Maureen Cullen, Oceanport, NJ, IM US Championship, 2012, 1st
10:49:38 - Pernilla Linden, Balaclava, Sweden, IM Sweden, 2012, 5th
10:49:39 - Katie Greenfield, Bussleton, WA, IM Western Australia, 2011, 4th
10:51:12 - Mieke Van Thuyne, Deinze, Belgium, IM Regensburg, 2012, 4th
10:51:42 - Alisa Scudamore, Esslingen, USA, IM Regensburg, 2012, 5th
10:52:11 - Isabelle Sauve, Canada, IM Brazil, 2012, 3rd
10:54:50 - Dana Bullard, Keller, TX, IM US Championship, 2nd
10:55:06 - Verene Roulin, Echichens, SUI, IM France, 2012, 4th
10:56:07 - Carolyn Brace, Penrith, NSW, IM Australia, 2012, 5th
10:56:12 - Vanessa Colless, Japan, IM Western Australia, 2011, 5th
10:56:33 - Sarah Baker, Portsmouth, NH, IM Lake Placid, 2012, 2nd
10:57:37 - Danielle Hauptman, San Francisco, CA, IM US Championship, 2012, 3rd
10:57:58 - Laura Demeo, Brielle, NJ, IM US Championship, 2012, 4th
10:59:11 - Jaana Korhonen, Vantaa, Finland, IM European Championship, 2012, 3rd
11:01:18 - Ludivine Delrieu, Merignac, FRA, IM France, 2012, 5th
11:02:05 - Monika Neale, Chicago, IL, IM US Championship, 2012, 5th
11:02:15 - Suzanne Boyd, Calgary, Alberta, IM Coeur D'Alene, 2012, 4th
11:03:02 - Jari Kirkland, Crested Butte, CO, IM Coeur D'Alene, 2012, 5th
11:04:06 - Cora Lee Starzomski, Devonshire, GBR, IM Florida, 2011, 4th
11:04:21 - Sebastian Solana, Argentina, IM Brazil, 2012, 4th
11:04:25 - Maria Claudia Lyra Souza, IM Brazil, 2012, 5th
11:06:03 - Marlies Penker, Klagenfurt, Austria, IM Austria, 2012, 4th
11:06:16 - Isabelle De Wulf, Tervuren, Belgium, IM Switzerland, 2012, 4th
11:07:04 - Daniela Williams, North Liberty, IA, IM Wisconsin, 2011, 5th
11:08:23 - Linda Scattolin, Ponte S. Nicola, Italy, IM Austria, 2012, 5th
11:08:37 - Kelly Cadeau, Coomera, Canada, IM Cairns, 2012, 4th
11:08:44 - Fabiana Fenuta, Weiningen, Italy, IM Switzerland, 2012, 5th
11:09:03 - Lee Anne Townes, Greenville, SC, IM Florida, 2011, 5th
11:11:15 - Brigitte Paulick, South Kent, CT, IM Lake Placid, 2012, 3rd
11:12:39 - Dany Moehle, Wien, Austria, IM European Championship, 2012, 4th
11:15:15 - Clodagh Myers, Dublin, Irelan, IM European Championship, 2012, 5th
11:20:11 - Martha Koekemoer, South Africa, IM South Africa, 2012, 2nd
11:23:00 - Rhian Roxburgh, Colwyn Bay, WAL, IM Wales, 2012, 2nd
11:25:02 - Robyn Woodward, South Africa, IM South Africa, 2012, 3rd
11:29:22 - Russet Morrow, Millis, MA, IM Lake Placid, 2012, 4th
11:33:47 - Maureen Baran, San Diego, CA, IM Lake Placid, 2012, 5th
11:47:06 - Valentina Kislukhina, Moscow, Russia, IM Lanzarote, 2012, 1st
11:47:27 - Kerri Renshaw, Tring Herts, Australia, IM Lanzarote, 2012, 2nd
11:47:43 - Elaine Maylor, Bootle, Great Britian, IM United Kingdom, 2012, 1st
11:54:27 - Samantha Howard, Liverpool, Great Britian, IM United Kingdom, 2012, 2nd
11:54:40 - Anna Turnseck-James, Lyons, QLD, IM Cairns, 2012, 5th
11:59:22 - Sally Waterworth, South Africa, IM South Africa, 2012, 4th
11:59:29 - Susan Chapman, South Africa, IM South Africa, 2012, 5th
12:01:14 - Peggy Claerbout, Brugge, Belgium, IM Wales, 2012, 4th
12:17:17 - Nina Eng, Valby, Denmark, IM Lanzarote, 2012, 4th
12:25:51 - Amelia Torrego, Madrid, Spain, IM Lanzarote, 2012, 5th
12:28:55 - Lisa Picton, Cornwall, GBR, IM Wales, 2012, 5th
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