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Richie Cunningham, of Brookline, Mass., exits the bike staging area in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes take to the water during the swimming competition in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes take to the water during the swimming competition at the Ironman 70.3 Kansas, the first of the competition's three legs, Sunday morning at Clinton Lake. An estimated 4,000 spectators cheered on more than 1,000 athletes.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes compete in the 1.2 mile long swim course Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Competitors in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas were greeted by enthusiastic fans Sunday during the triathlon at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Five-year-old Sophia Dawson, of Shawnee, waits for her father, David Dawson, with a Father's Day sign Sunday while he was competing in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas at Clinton Lake.

Photo by John Henry

Terenzo Bozzone, of New Zealand, triumphantly busts through the finish line. Bozzone won the inaugural Ironman Kansas in a time of 3:56.07, nearly four minutes ahead of second-place Craig Alexander.

Photo by John Henry

Tom Ruzicka, of Kansas City, Mo., snags some water from a volunteer.

Photo by Thad Allender

A competitor escapes the sun for a moment during the running portion of the Kansas Ironman.

Photo by John Henry

Athletes bike over a hill in western Douglas County during the Ironman 70.3. The bike course, the middle leg of the triathlon, was 56 miles.

Photo by Thad Allender

Spectators Sharmin Meadowns, right, and Lisa Young cheer on a biker.

Photo by John Henry

A skydiver arrives at the water's edge just before the start of the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

At sunrise, athletes prepare to compete in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes line up at the start of the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes sprint into Clinton Lake during the swimming competition leg of the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes make final adjustments before the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Female athletes compete in the swimming competition in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes await the start of the swimming competition compete in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes take to the water during the swimming competition, the first of three legs of the race, in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes take to the water during the swimming competition, the first of three legs of the race, in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Paul Holder, of Holder, Australia, begins the bicycling stage of the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday at Clinton Lake. Even though the event was cut short by weather, participants rated it highly and are signing up for next year.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes make the change from swim to cycle during the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Mark Euwema fastens his helmet in the bike staging area after completing the swimming course in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes switch from the swimming competition into their bicycling gear during the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Dobie Morris, of Lawrence, snaps a photo of her husband, Ken, during the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake. Morris competes with the team "Local Flavor," a Lawrence-area group.

Photo by Thad Allender

Jeff McCabe, of Lincoln, Neb., hoists a placard supporting his brother-in-law, Scott Pappas, of Houston, Tx., during the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by Thad Allender

Athletes crest a hill in western Douglas County during the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday morning, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake. The bike course was 56 miles.

Photo by Thad Allender

Simon Lessing, left, and Daniel Bretscher book it through the running portion of the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by John Henry

Kyle Miller, of Gainsville, Fla., catches some rest before jumping in with his team to compete Sunday, June 15, 2008 at the Ironman 70.3 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by John Henry

A biker slows down and readies for a dismount Sunday, June 15, 2008 while competing in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas at Clinton Lake.

Photo by John Henry

An Ironman 70.3 Kansas competitor's shadow leads the way Sunday, June 15, 2008 during the race at Clinton Lake.

Photo by John Henry

Fresh off their bikes, runners hit the trails Sunday, June 15, 2008 during the Ironman 70.3 Kansas at Clinton Lake.

Photo by John Henry

Hannah Gerber, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., starts off on the running portion of the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on Sunday, June 15, 2008 at Clinton Lake.

Photo by John Henry

Craig Alexander, left, of Australia, breaks through the finish line with his daughter, Lucy Alexander, 3, on Sunday, June 15, 2008 during the Ironman 70.3 Kansas at Clinton Lake. Lucy greeted him at the finish line and they walked through together. He finished second in the race.

Photo by John Henry

TJ Tollakson slips out of his biking shoes and prepares to dismount Sunday, June 15, 2008 as he transitions into the running portion of the Ironman 70.3 Kansas at Clinton Lake.

Photo by John Henry