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Emma Pallant (GBR) and Sam Long (USA) Take Titles in Battle of Champions During IRONMAN VR9 Pro Challenge Weekend

May 31, 2020

- Winners of the VR1-VR4 Pro Challenges battled for supremacy during IRONMAN VR9 Pro Challenge - Approximately 11,000 athletes from 132 nations registered to compete in IRONMAN VR9 - More than 100,000 people from around the globe have now joined IRONMAN Virtual Club platform

TAMPA, Fla. (May 31, 2020) – The ninth edition of the IRONMAN® VR™ Pro Challenge featured a battle of champions with the professional women and professional men winners of the IRONMAN VR1-VR4 Pro Challenges, along with one featured guest each day, going head-to-head-to-head-to-head over two days of racing on the IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells-La Quinta 90 km bike course, utilizing Official Virtual Cycling partner ROUVY’s augmented reality. It was Emma Pallant of Great Britain winning the women’s race and Sam Long of the United States taking the top honors in the men’s race.

In the closely contested women’s race, IRONMAN VR4 Pro Challenge Champion Emma Pallant fought her way into the top spot with an impressive performance finishing time of 02:10:06, IRONMAN VR1 Pro Challenge Champion Jocelyn McCauley (USA) finished in second place with a time of 2:11:11 in the professional women’s race, IRONMAN VR3 Pro Challenge Champion Lisa Nordén (SWE) took third position with a finishing time of 2:13:32, while the featured guest competitor and professional triathlete, Jessica Jones (USA) grabbed the fourth spot with a time of 2:15:22. Despite technical difficulties, IRONMAN VR2 Pro Challenge Champion Lauren Brandon (USA) was able to get reconnected on the platform and rounded out the group in fifth position, clocking a finishing time of 2:17:13.

The full broadcast of the women’s IRONMAN VR9 Pro Challenge can be viewed, HERE.

Professional women’s results:

    BIKE TIME
1. Emma Pallant GBR 02:10:06
2. Jocelyn McCauley USA 02:11:11
3. Lisa Nordén SWE 02:13:32
4. *Jessica Jones USA 02:15:22
5. Lauren Brandon USA 02:17:13

*Featured guest

On Sunday, the professional men took to the trainers with IRONMAN VR2 Pro Challenge Champion Sam Long (USA) emerging victorious, completing the IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells-La Quinta 90 km bike course in a time of 1:55:28. IRONMAN VR4 Pro Challenge Champion Arnaud Guilloux (FRA), came in second with a time of 1:56:20, while IRONMAN VR3 Pro Challenge Champion Jesper Svensson (SWE), arrived in third finishing with a time of 2:04:36. Patrick Lange (DEU), IRONMAN VR1 Pro Challenge Champion, rounded out the group of professionals in fourth finishing with a time of 02:11:36. Featured guest competitor Matt Wikstrom (USA) grabbed the final spot with a time of 2:12:05.

The full broadcast of the men’s IRONMAN VR9 Pro Challenge can be viewed, HERE.

Professional men’s results:

    BIKE TIME
1. Sam Long USA 01:55:28
2. Arnaud Guilloux FRA 01:56:20
3. Jesper Svensson SWE 02:04:36
4. Patrick Lange DEU 02:11:36
5. * Matt Wikstrom USA 02:12:05

*Featured guest

In total, approximately 11,000 athletes from more than 132 nations and all 50 states set out to participate in the IRONMAN VR9. To date, 1014 athletes have completed all nine IRONMAN VR races. Over the past nine weeks, these athletes have completed 143 km running and 470 km cycling. IRONMAN VR9 requires athletes to complete a 5 km Run, 90 km Ride, and 21 km Run between Friday, May 29 at 2 p.m. ET (6 p.m. GMT) and race close this evening, Sunday, May 31 at 7:59 p.m. ET (11:59 p.m. GMT). Competitors can complete the three segments in any order and are not required to do the segments consecutively. Athletes are able to compete anywhere, indoors or outdoors. Bringing the IRONMAN community together virtually, the IRONMAN® Virtual Club™ continues to grow and now has more than 100,000 members on the platform with thousands completing IRONMAN Virtual Club Challenges since its recent launch.

IRONMAN VR9 leaderboard updates can be found by visiting the IRONMANVR Facebook Page.

Full details and specifics regarding the IRONMAN Virtual Club are available on www.ironmanvirtualclub.com. For questions about the IRONMAN Virtual Racing Series, athletes can email ironmanvr@ironman.com. For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com. Media related inquiries may be directed to press@ironman.com.

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About The IRONMAN Group

The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® Virtual Racing™ (VR™) Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series®, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running™ Series, IRONKIDS®, ITU World Triathlon Series, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and The Sun-Herald City2Surf® presented by Westpac, Ultra-Trail® World Tour events including Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail Australia™, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, road cycling events, and other multisport races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN® brand and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines around the world. Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with more than 235 events across 55+ countries. On March 26, 2020, Wanda Sports Group (Nasdaq: WSG) entered into an agreement to sell The IRONMAN Group to Advance; closing is anticipated in mid-2020. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.