Local coach wins age group at Ironman Worlds
Penticton triathlon coach Kevin Cutjar reeled off a stunning win in his age group this past weekend at the Ironman World Championship.
Cutjar, 56, placed first overall in the men’s 55-59 age group at the full-distance event staged Sunday in St. George, Utah.
His time of 10 hours, 23 minutes and 11 seconds was 47 seconds faster than the runnerup in that age group. The overall winner, reigning Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt of Norway, clocked in at 7:49:16. Canadian athlete Lionel Sanders finished second overall with a time of 7:54:03.
Cutjar was in transit Monday and unavailable for comment.
A native of Australia, he moved to Penticton in the mid-1990s to train for Ironman Canada while still competing as a professional triathlete. His best finish was sixth place on the pro side back in 2005.
Cutjar later switched his focus to coaching but continued competing as an athlete. His last Ironman event prior to the world championship was a June 2021 half-distance race in Calgary that saw him finish first in his age group and 32nd overall.
This past weekend’s event was billed as the 2021 Ironman World Championship, which was originally scheduled for October 2021 in Kona, Hawaii, but cancelled due to the pandemic.
The make-up race was rescheduled in Utah to make it easier for athletes to attend and to get around stiffer COVID-19 restrictions in Hawaii, the traditional home of Ironman world championships.
The 2022 edition is slated to return to Hawaii in October.
Berths in the world championships will be up for grabs in Penticton, when Subaru Ironman Canada makes its long-awaited return Aug. 28.
The city’s flagship triathlon event was due to return in 2020 after a 10-year absence, but the pandemic had other ideas.
General registration is still open for Subaru Ironman Canada. The entry fee is $973, including taxes. See ironman.com.