Vernon’s Hill tests endurance in race

VERNON — Ultra marathon veteran Shanda Hill from Vernon is jumping right into her next test of endurance after completing a 2,260-kilometre race in Switzerland just over a month ago.

The 35-year-old athlete is in Virginia competing in the Triple Anvil, featuring a 12-kilometre swim, 540kilometre bike ride and 126-kilometre run, all to be completed within 60 hours.

Hill is no stranger to the course, she finished first among women and fifth overall in Virginia’s Quintuple Anvil last year.

That race is even longer, including a 900-km ride, 210-km run and 19-km swim.

She reached her most extreme achievement in August when she took on the Deca Ultra Triathlon in Switzerland, becoming only the sixth woman ever to complete the 38-km swim, 1,800-km ride and 422-km run.

Hill says the 60-hour time limit in the Virginia event leaves little opportunity for sleep, adding that many things can go wrong in a race that long.

She says the early start to the Triple Anvil is tough because she hates getting into her wetsuit before the sun rises over a cold lake, so she takes that leg easy before powering through the bike ride and run.

“I love the challenge. As much as I love the racing, I love the people. If it was just the race and we didn’t have the unique people out here, I don’t think it would be half as fun.”

Ortiz, who in 2014 was suspended for a positive steroid test, was found to have taken two banned diuretics that are often used as masking agents for steroids.

Stiverne had been scheduled to fight Dominic Breazeale on the undercard after taking a payout to allow Ortiz to fight for the title. Instead, he will be on the main event of the card, which will be televised by Showtime.

Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) will be making his sixth title defence against Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs), who he beat by a lopsided decision in their first fight to win the title.

Meanwhile, the main event for tonight’s UFC 216 in Las Vegas is for the interim lightweight title, as second-ranked Tony Ferguson (22-3) faces No. 7 Kevin Lee (16-2).