Locals Gervais, Kinnuenen, Gersdorf shine

COEUR d’ALENE — Greg Gervais was just glad Ironman Coeur d’Alene was over on a hot and breezy Sunday afternoon.

Gervais, a 45-year-old from Coeur d’Alene, was one of the top local age-group finishers, just like he accomplished at Ironman 70.3 Coeur d’Alene after completing a 2.4-mile swim near Independence Point, a 112-mile bicycle trek through the local streets of Coeur d’Alene and south on U.S. 95, then a healthy-sized 26.2-mile marathon run through the local streets of the city, finishing on Sherman Avenue at the finish line between First and Second Street.

Gervais finished the 14th annual race with a time of 10 hours, 40 minutes and 41 seconds. Not bad, considering he hadn’t competed in the full triathlon since 2009. He’s competed in half-Ironman triathlons in each of the past seven years. He finished 75th overall. A total of 65 spots were up for grabs for the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, set for Oct. 8.

“The wind was brutal,” Gervais said. “I’m happy to be done, it was tough out there. I had an OK swim, but I struggled on the run. I did a lot of walking, I had some cramping.”

Gervais, who was 10th in his 45-49-year-old age division in the swim (1:04:05), was first in the bike in his age division and 30th overall going into the run (5:18:46). But his run time (4:10:16) was off his usual pace.

The first 13 Ironman Coeur d’Alenes were held in June. This year, an Ironman 70.3 was held in Coeur d’Alene in June, and the full Ironman was moved to August.

Joel Kinnuenen, a Canadian who is retired and lives in Coeur d’Alene, was the top local finisher, coming in 47th overall (10:22:16) and he qualified for the world championship. Kinnuenen had good times in the swim (1:08:54), the bike part of the event (5:26:47) and the run (3:36:19). He was 79th overall coming out of the swim part, but caught up fast in the run and was fourth in that portion among age groupers.

The top local female finisher was Alyssa Gersdorf of Hayden, 36, who finished her third Ironman with a time of 12:19.41. Gersdorf competed in each of the previous two Ironman Coeur d’Alene triathlons. She said her running portion of the event, where she was 59th among all female competitors, was her best performance. Among all females, she went from 91st among all females after the swim to 76th in her gender after the bike. Gersdorf, whose coach Randy Astin also competed in the triathlon, went to Lakeland High and the University of Idaho.

“It was pretty good,” Gersdorf said. “I was glad I did my best. This is just a great event for this community, all the support, all the people out there cheering. The run (was my best part of the race) and I finally put it all together.”

No one raced as professionals and there were no money prizes, as there were three other races featuring pros this past weekend. But nonetheless, the more than 1,300 triathletes from several different countries gave it their best shot.

Ken Portmann of Carlsbad, Calif., won the race (9:28:29). He blazed through the bike portion, coming off of it and into the start of the run in fourth overall (5:04:29). This performance was fairly amazing, after he was 45th coming out of the swim (59:21), then sped ahead in the run (3:18:22). He took the lead around mile 12 of the run, and called his win “amazing.” Brian Schaning of Bend, Ore. was second (9:38:07). Brian Lambert of Arvada, Colo. came in third (9:38:26).

Portmann, born and raised in a small town 10 minutes outside of Evian, France, has lived with his fiancé, Mariesa Carrow, in Carlsbad. This was his first Ironman win and he competed in his first one in 2013 in Zurich, Switzerland. It was a bit of sweet redemption, after he was not able to finish his last Ironman, in Whistler, British Columbia, on July 24.

“I was hoping for a better bike and I stayed focused and I didn’t panic,” Portmann said. “When I saw that I couldn’t bridge the gap, I just gave it my all during the run. Jesus Christ, I just can’t believe it. I’ve dreamed about it (winning an Ironman) so many times, especially after Whistler.”

With his arms raised as he crossed the tape at the finish line, Portmann fell on his back in apparent exhaustion. Carrow went to him and gave him a kiss and a big hug, then he went back to the crowd just before the finish line and high-fived a lot of them, giving them a heart sign as he finished. The couple plan on marrying on May 20, 2017.

“My fiancé, this race is for you,” Portmann said during a postrace interview with an Ironman official at the finish line area. “I can’t wait to marry you.”

The top overall female finisher was none other than a doctor who is from North Palm Beach, Fla., and now lives in Manhattan, New York. Dr. Morgan Busko, 28, came in at 10:28:45, which was 54th overall. She was in third place coming off of the bike (5:38:26), taking the lead for good around the 5-mile mark of the run (finishing at 3:26:26). Busko is finishing her last year of residency in internal medicine at NYU, after four years. Her husband, Billy Busko, a 50-54 age grouper, was 39th overall (10:16:23).

Coming in second was Cailla Patterson of Kelowna, B.C., (10:32:10) and Lindsay Ludlow of Dallas was third (10:47:43).

Morgan has competed in triathlons since 2010 and qualified for the world championship in 2011. Sunday was her first Ironman Coeur d’Alene competition and her first win among females.

“I loved it,” Busko said of the crowd and support. “We just wanted to have fun and be safe. My husband competed here, so I was trying to chase him down. I’ve been the first amateur before, but I’ve never been the first female before. I work 80 hours a week and I get one day off per week. So I do my training on those days.”