IRONMAN: Kynoch bikes to lead, uses steady run to take men's title

SANDUSKY — Cole Kynoch works for Lamborghini, so he knows something about speed. Kynoch, 30, scored the first Ironman win of his career Sunday morning, finishing the Ironman 70.3 Ohio in 3 hours, 58 minutes, 25 seconds. "I felt strong. The course is super flat," Kynoch said. "That can actually be a little more difficult, especially on the bike, because there's not a lot of variation. You're just peddling at the same pace the whole time. "But once I got off the bike and started the run, I felt better than I expected. About halfway through the run I felt like I was probably gonna cross the line first." The Falls Church, Virginia, resident was the third male competitor out of the water after completing his 1.2-mile swim in Sandusky Bay in 26:59. "It was a little choppy on the way out, but once we took that first left turn and went into that protected area it was totally fine," he said. "Nice, smooth water." He finished second overall on the bike — covering 56 miles in 2:04.29 with a pace of 26.87 MPH — to take the lead. Kynoch had the 10th-fastest running time among the men, but had enough cushion to cruise to the finish line. He completed 13.1 miles through the streets of Sandusky in 1:23.32. But it was touch-and-go for a while as Argentina's Emmanuel Iodice used a fast running pace to close the gap on Kynoch. "I told him after we crossed the finish line that when we did the first U-turn on the first lap I saw him and was like, 'Oh man, he's gonna catch me for sure.' He was flying," Kynoch said. "Then halfway through the second half of the first lap I got a split from my dad and it sounded like he had slowed down a little bit." Iodice's pace early in the running portion of the triathlon was 5:43, but that fell off by more than a minute in the latter stages of the race. Iodice finished second overall in 4:03.27. Parker Kerth was third (4:03.36) and Margaretta graduate Brett Collins took fourth in 4:05.51. Kynoch used a steady pace to cross the finish line first. "I've won some local races, smaller races," he said. "This was my first big race win. PR (personal record) and a win. That's a pretty good day." The temperature when Kynoch jumped into Sandusky Bay from the Carlee Emily ferry boat was 73 and conditions were overcast. "Absolutely beautiful," he said. "I imagine that the run would be pretty challenging if the sun was out because there's not a lot of shade." Kynoch has competed in nearly a dozen Ironman 70.3 events and had three third-place finishes before clinching his first victory in the fourth running of the Ironman race in Sandusky. He led most of Sunday's race and said he plans to defend his title in 2026, which would make him the first Sandusky winner to return the next year. "First time in Sandusky. This town is great, right on the water. The people have been awesome," Kynoch said. "The volunteers were amazing, the support on the course was amazing. Pretty much the whole race I was getting cheers, which is typical for a triathlon, but it felt like the next level." Kynoch, an after-sales manager for Lamborghini, accepted congratulations at the finish line on Columbus Avenue and was asked how he would celebrate his victory. "I'm gonna have a Coke; that's always my favorite thing to do postrace," he said. "Then I'll probably have a burger and beer and enjoy the rest of the day."