Hundreds of spectators filled downtown Madison showing support for competitors in the Ironman triathlon Sunday.
More than 2,000 athletes began the grueling race at 7 a.m. with a 2.4-mile swim in Lake Monona, followed by a 112-mile bike ride through Verona and finishing with a 26.2-mile race through downtown Madison.
Australian Joe Gambles won the men's race with an approximate time of 8 hours and 38 minutes, a course record for the Wisconsin Ironman.
This was Gambles' first time running Ironman, and the 27-year old described the experience as ""unbelievable"" after the race.
Madison native Eric Bean, 34, took third place for the men's division after finishing in 8 hours and 51 minutes.
New Zealander Gina Crawford took home first place in the women's race with an approximate time of 9 hours and 27 minutes. The 29-year old beat the previous course record by nine minutes. Crawford's first Ironman win came at the 2007 Ironman Wisconsin event.
Spectators gathered at the Monona Terrace to watch competitors swim. They could also take buses to Verona to watch the participants bike, according to the Ironman Wisconsin website.
Erin Malinoski and Shelly Schneider of Poplar, Wis., sat near the Capitol as they cheered on competitors, including Malinowski's brother, Marc, who was running the Ironman for the second time.
Other spectators supported their loved ones wearing T-shirts with the name of their athlete, holding up inspirational signs and even running alongside competitors.
The Ironman Wisconsin is the first qualifier for the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championship, according to the ironmanusa.com. The competitors fought for 72 slots in the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championship.
Professional competitors were split into their own category, while non-professionals were broken up into age groups ranging from 18- to 75-years old and older.
Volunteers helped out at checkpoints and aid stations providing water, snacks and even wet sponges to help competitors stay hydrated and beat the heat.
