Heather Wurtele has added another gold medal to her rapidly growing collection of international triathlon titles.
The Kelowna athlete captured the Ironman 70.3 Monterrey race on Sunday in Mexico, ousting Denmark’s Helle Frederiksen by nearly seven minutes.
Wurtele completed the 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run in four hours seven minutes and 47 seconds.
Wurtele came out of the swim with a deficit to make up, which she did with a strong bike leg (2:18:32), then took over the lead for good on the running portion (1:19:26).
A five-time champion at the full Ironman distance, Wurtele also has four wins in the 70.3 category.
Heather and husband Trevor, who now live in Kelowna, were named Triathlete Canada Magazine’s ‘Fittest Couple in Canada in 2013, as well as the ‘Long Distance Female/Male Triathletes of the Year’.
Trevor Wurtele won Ironman Canada for the first time last year.
