Australian Melissa Hauschildt and New Zealand's Terenzo Bozzone have enjoyed emphatic returns to form, breaking the course records at the Ironman WA triathlon.
Two months after failing to finish the Hawaiian Ironman world championships, the two former world 70.3, or half-Ironman, world champions dominated their races.
Hauschildt cramped on the finishing straight at coastal Busselton south of Perth on Sunday, but still won easily in eight hours 54 minutes 39 seconds.
NZ triathlete Britta Martin set the old women's course record of 8:56:34 two years ago for the 3.8km ocean swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km marathon run.
German Mareen Hufe had her fourth-straight second place at Busselton, crossing the line in 8:57:36 on Sunday.
American defending champion Sarah Piampiano was third in 8:58:51.
Hauschildt is better known for a fast bike and run, but she had her rivals on the back foot when the Australian was fourth out of the water.
Hufe fought back to lead by nearly three minutes at the start of the run, but Hauschildt passed her before 10km.
Busselton is a flat course that is renowned for fast times and Bozzone's first win over the Ironman distance was memorable.
He finished in 7:51:26, smashing the men's record of 7:55:58 set last year by Australian Luke McKenzie.
It was also Bozzone's Ironman WA debut.
American Andy Potts was second in 7:55:12 and Nick Kastelein was the first Australian to finish, completing the men's podium after a time of 8:05:24.
Hauschildt was in the women's top 10 at the Hawaiian Ironman early in the marathon when she had to end her race debut prematurely because of a quad injury.
