Nikki Butterfield Places 3rd At Ironman Syracuse
Pro triathlete Nikki Butterfield put her fitness to the test at Sunday’s Ironman 70.3 Syracuse, posting a 3rd place podium finish as part of her programmed build to the Ironman European Championship in Frankfurt, Germany on July 8th.
The Australian born athlete is the wife of Bermuda’s Tyler Butterfield, who is set to represent the island at the upcoming Olympic Games.
The race was a valuable marker of the strength-endurance skill that Mrs Butterfield will rely on in her first foray back to the Ironman distance since 2005. “Syracuse was one of the last key sessions in my preparation for Frankfurt,” said Mrs Butterfield.
“I’m happy with my race, especially since I don’t quite have the ‘snap’ or top end power right now that I would need in order to compete for the win in a 70.3. And all credit to Angela Naeth and Jodie Swallow, who took 1st and 2nd. Those girls were impressive.”
The 70.3 mile swim, bike and run efort provided Butterfield with a four-hour time trial test of her cycling fitness leading into Ironman, an event in which she’ll tackle double the distance raced on Sunday.
Mrs Butterfield also accrued valuable KPR [Kona Points Ranking] points that will help secure a spot on the start line at the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in October.
“Now I’m looking forward to freshening up for Ironman,” Mrs Butterfield said. “My training has been specifically geared toward the longer distance, hopefully it will pay of in Germany.”
