Kamloops woman qualifies for Kona, Hawaii World Championship Ironman Triathlon

A test of endurance in a multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling and running.

Ironman Cozumel was the first ironman triathlon for Danielle Fauteux.

Not only did she finish, Danielle was 7th overall out of 157 women in the event, and second out of 30 in her age category.

Completing a 3.8 kilometer swim, a 180 kilometer bike ride and full marathon of 42.2 kilometers in a combined time of 10 hours, 21 minutes and 26 seconds.

What’s more impressive about finishing is that Danielle was almost knocked out of the ironman in the bike ride.

“It actually happened very early in the bike.” says Fauteux. “There was a group of vultures that landed on the course ahead of me. They went to fly away. One did’nt get out in time and I hit it and fell. ”

It meant riding the rest of the bike course with no nutrition and one gear.

On top of the challenge for the rest of the bike ride, it impacted on her run.

“About 7K into the run I really was asking myself if I could finish, because I was in such bad shape.” says Fauteux. “My head was hurting from the crash, and my knee, I was dripping blood the rest of the bike ride. When I came to terms with my fate on the run, knowing I wasn’t going to be able to have the run knowing that I wasn’t going to have the run I was hoping for, I though it was going to have a greater impact on my day.” says Fauteux. “I thought I was going to fall back more places than just one, because I started the bike in first place. So I was very happy to finish in second. That was a pretty big win for me.”

Challenges are nothing new for Fauteux.

A custom home designer by trade, she is also a licensed pilot.

“I like the callenge. I like a new adventure.” says Fauteux. “The fun part about athletics when you get older, you try something new — you get better at it for quite a long time. It’s nice to have incremental improvements. You’re not very good when you start and then you see all these improvements —- that’s the challenge.”

Ironman Cozumel was Danielle Fauteux’s first triathlon —- but it won’t be her last.

Her next big race is Ironman Canada in Penticton in August.

And her second place finish at Cozumel has qualified Fauteux for what many triathletes consider the “granddaddy” of them all.

The Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii next October.

“It’s a big reason why a lot of people race.” says Fauteux. “They try to get to Kona. I really had no idea when I started what that meant. It’s a pretty big honour to get a spot in my first race.”

by Earl Seitz

Kamloops woman qualifies for Kona, Hawaii World Championship Ironman Triathlon

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