On a day when more than a few title holders failed to cross the finish line, two first-time Ironman world champions made big-time statements. Chris "Macca" McCormack overcame an 11-minute deficit off the bike by running a 2-hour, 42-minute, 2-second marathon to claim the Ironman World Championship in 8:15:34.



The tri-valry between Macca, Faris Al-Sultan and defending champion Normann Stadler slowly evolved into Australian revelry over the course of the day. Al-Sultan did not start the race due to a stomach bug and Stadler, failing to keep up with the blistering bike pace set by American Chris Lieto and Denmark's Torbjorn Sindballe, pulled out during the second leg. A showered-and-dressed Stadler congratulated McCormack at the finish. McCormack passed Lieto during the run and never looked back, winning by three and a half minutes over fellow Australian Craig Alexander. Sindballe rounded out the top three.



Smiling and gripping the Union Jack for the final mile, Great Britain's Chrissie Wellington captured her first-ever Ironman World Championship in 9:08:45. In only her second race at this distance--her first being Ironman Korea eight weeks ago--Wellington turned a 2-minute, 44-second lead out of the second transition into a final margin of 5:20 over second-place finisher Samantha McGlone of Canada. Australian Kate Major finished 10:28 back.



Defending champion Michellie Jones, who was only 2:23 back from the leader after 30 miles on the bike, dropped out during that leg. Wellington, who wasn't among the top 10 women out of the water or at the 30-mile point on the bike, finished the leg in 5:06:15 and was the only female finisher in the top 10 to break the three-hour mark on the marathon, running a 2:59:58.



We've already had one marriage proposal (she said yes) shortly after the 11th hour. Who knows what else will happen as we climb toward the midnight cutoff. Remember to visit our Ironblog 2007 section for behind-the-scenes video, slideshows and pre-race interviews with Chris Lieto and Samantha McGlone.

Before the sun came up, they were lining the roads toward the pier. Athletes, fans, friends and volunteers intermingled in pre-dawn Kona. They applied sunscreen in the dark, stretched the early-morning stiffness out of muscles and waited patiently to be herded toward the calm Pacific. Michellie Jones strode through the athletes waiting area on her way to the beach with a calm, regal demeanor.

"At the start of the race the energy is incredible. All the athletes are like deer in headlights," said Mike Reilly, the Voice of Ironman. "Getting everybody into the water is a difficult task because you have one little set of steps to go down from the pier."



An in-water start means athletes are treading water as they remain behind an imaginary line. "They're all looking up, waiting for something to happen," said Reilly. Professional men and women began together, 15 minutes before the mass of age-groupers.

Led along the course by legendary surfer Laird Hamilton on a stand-up paddleboard, American Linda Gallo led all swimmers for most of the leg. Spaniard Francisco Pontano was first out of the water in 51 minutes, 23 seconds. Gallo was two seconds behind.



Above: Samantha McGlone (62) leads Belinda Granger (58) out of transition.



Above: Australian Chris McCormack puts on his helmet as Americans Luke Bell (7) and Chris Lieto (9) prepare to exit the transition area.

The biggest news of the morning was the withdrawal of contender Faris Al-Sultan. The German apparently came down with a stomach bug that prevented him from starting the race. It was an unfortunate blow to the hype surrounding the tri-valry of Al-Sultan, McCormack and Normann Stadler that preceded the race.



Stay tuned for more blogs, videos and slideshows of the 2007 Ford Ironman Championship.

Upon crossing the finish line in first place last year, Normann Stadler had a wreath put on his head and a lei put around his neck. Excited, but more importantly exhausted, Stadler took the wreath off and, depending on how the story is told, dropped it, tossed it or threw it to the ground. It was promptly picked up and handed back to him. He discarded it again.

Stadler told a group of San Diego triathletes that he found the wreath itchy and uncomfortable, as if thorns were digging into his head. (He had just completed an Ironman, after all.) And that he didn't mean any disrespect, he just wasn't in the mood to wear it. Before the awards ceremony the next day, he was pulled aside by organizers and told that what he had done was considered a grave display of disrespect to the Hawaiian people and the islands. He was then put through a purification ceremony before he was allowed to receive his medal.

Stadler's situation was a misunderstanding. He didn't mean to offend; the German was merely unaware of the significance of his act. It's a lesson--in this time of destination events and global racing circuits--that athletes of all abilities and endeavors can learn from.

Ironman athletes competing in Hawaii should understand that the islands have more deeply rooted customs and traditions than, say, Wisconsin or Lake Placid. Our latest story in the Ironman special section talks about the meaning behind the aloha spirit and how visitors can show proper respect to the culture of the Hawaiian islands.