KAILUA-KONA — It did not take Australia’s Richard Thompson long to make a splash on the Ultraman scene. In his first Ultraman race last year, after 16 years of competing in Ironman races, Thompson broke the race record in his home country.
In Thompson’s second race he won the Ultraman World Championship, which wrapped up Sunday at Old Airport Park. Thompson then expressed his interest to retire from competitive endurance sports, making his departure from the Ultraman scene just as quick as his arrival.
“It is time for me to hang up my shoes and be a dad,” Thompson said after wrapping up Day 3 of Ultraman with a double marathon time of six hours, 56 minutes and 24 seconds. “I said to my wife, ‘This is my final race as an athlete. I wanted to come here and push my limits and I feel like I achieved that.’”
Thompson started training for Ultraman after taking a short hiatus from the Ironman scene after winning his age group at the Ironman World Championship in 2008. However, the call to competitive racing became stronger as he reached his 30s.
“I started to wonder what I could do as an athlete again,” Thompson said. “Ultraman suits me really well, I was just put off by the 6-mile swim because I didn’t think I could swim that far. I am an OK swimmer, but I do the swim-bike combo really well.”
Thompson won the Ultraman World Championship with a time of 22:09:26. South Africa’s Rob Gray placed second at 23:06:58, and Petr Vabrousek rounded out the top three with a 23:32.00.
The swim-bike combo took place on day 1 of the race and while Thompson built an early seven-minute lead, it did not go smoothly during the swim portion.
“The tide changed at the halfway point and I was going really slow. I also got seasick for the first time in my life,” Thompson said. “I was holding on to to my crew’s paddle board and we tried several things but nothing was working. Finally, I was given a mandarin and within five minutes I started feeling better.”
Thompson exited the water in second place, swimming from Kailua Bay the Keauhou Bay with a time of 2:47:47.
“At that point I didn’t care I was behind, I was just happy to be feeling better,” he said.
Thompson then executed his plan on the 90-mile bike ride – Keauhou to Ocean View – perfectly, shaving his three and a half-minute deficit and then taking a seven-minute lead heading into the second day.
“I was very lucky. I could have had a 20 minute deficit out of the water,” Thompson said. “I was able to catch and pass Gray by the halfway point of the bike and knew that day two and day three of the race would be more tactical.”
Day two of the Ultraman World Championship was the best day for Thompson, despite the challenge of a 171.4-mile bike ride that saw the competitors go over the volcano on Saddle Road to Hilo, and then up and around to Hawi.
“That was the hardest bike ride of my life,” Thompson said. “The climb up the volcano really taxes the legs and then you still have 70 percent of the ride to go. It is crazy.”
Thompson credits his crew through the bike portion of the race for keeping him patient, even when trailing other riders.
“It is hard for me to hold back, especially if I am being passed,” Thompson said. “At one point I was five minutes back, but I stayed calm and executed the plan.”
By the end of the bike, Thompson had built a 20 minute advantage, allowing for a mostly stress-free double marathon on the final day.
“It was very comforting,” said Thompson on the final day of the race despite having to battle though some leg pain, which slowed his pace. “I was able to manage my pain with some ibuprofen and finish second on the run. I was even able to have a quiet moment in front of K-Mart before I finished with my crew and that was really awesome.”
Top female
Tara Norton, of Canada, maintained her lead in the female division with a 9:34:49 bike on Day 3, which was good enough for second place. She placed first overall with a time of 28:19:35.
Mary Knott was the second overall female at 29:34:30.