The Ultraman World Championship wrapped up stage two yesterday, and the small field is now deep into the edge of what human endurance can tolerate. The race began with 20 athletes on November 28th and 17 remain as they push toward today’s final test, an 84km double marathon.
Stage two delivered the longest ride of the event, a 276km journey across the Big Island, and both Canadian athletes are racing well.
Dave Matheson, who ended stage one in second place, closed stage two in third overall. Born and raised in Penticton, he raced his first Ironman Canada in 2002 and has since completed close to 30 Ironman races, including 10 starts at the Ironman World Championship. In 2018 he set a record at the Ultra 520 endurance triathlon in Penticton, covering 520kms in 21:37:27. It was his second win at that event.
Scott McDermott, from Sylvan Lake, Alberta, delivered a significant climb up the standings. Seventeenth after stage one, he rode himself into 11th by the end of stage two. McDermott is a veteran of the ultra-community. He entered his first Ultraman distance event in 2011 at the Canadian Ultraman Championships and previously raced the Ultraman World Championships in 2013 and 2018.
Today the athletes head into stage three, the double marathon (84km) that often reshapes the final results.
Live updates continue on Instagram at @ultramanworldchampshawaii and on Facebook at UMWC Hawaii. Bob Babbitt is also providing on the ground interviews and race day coverage.
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