The Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team enhanced its reputation as one of the world’s top endurance squads this weekend as three of its members secured top ten finishes at the Ironman World Championship – the sport’s pinnacle event in Kona, Hawaii.
The UK’s Rachel Joyce, the team’s sole entry in the women’s professional category, finished an impressive fifth, one place better than her 2009 showing, with a time of 9h18m48s, just 20 minutes behind the eventual winner, Mirinda Carfrae from Australia.
In the elite men’s category, Abu Dhabi duo Pete Jacobs and Faris Al Sultan clinched ninth and tenth respectively, capping a second consecutive double top ten finish for the two at the gruelling invite-only Ironman event.
Jacobs clocked a time of 8h23m26s and Al Sultan, captain of the ADTA-backed outfit, finished in 8h24m04s, just under 15 minutes off the pace of Australia’s Chris McCormack, who won the event for the second time.
“To have the team perform so well, and after such a demanding season, is credit to all involved and serves as a clear indication of just how far we have come and how much we have overcome in the last 12 months,” said Al Sultan, the 2005 Ironman world champion.
Having competed in more than 40 top international events this season the Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team will now take a deserved rest before training begins for the 2011 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, which takes place on 13th March in the capital.
