COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — This year's Coeur d'Alene Ironman 70.3 saw 2,504 athletes finish the race.
Last year, the competition saw 1,893 athletes finish the grueling feat.
Three Australians swept the podium positions in the Top Pro Men's division of the Coeur d'Alene Ironman 70.3.
The division was won by Australian Tim Reed, with a total time of 3:47:53, according to provisional results.
"Thanks for everything to my wife," Reed said. "She makes more sacrifices than I do so, I'm really pleased to get a win for her."
Reed was followed by his fellow countryman and runner up Sam Appleton of the Panthers Triathlon Club, who finished with a total time of 3:48:08, according to provisional results.
The podium was rounded out by Australian Josh Amberger of Red Dog Triathlon Training and finished with a total time of 3:48:48, according to provisional results.
Canadian Jackson Laundry came in fourth with a time of 3:49:30, and Matt Hanson rounded out the top five and represented the first American finisher with a time of 3:52:54, according to provisional results.
In the Top Pro Women's division, American Heather Jackson took the top spot with a time of 4:12:58, according to provisional results. Australian Miranda Carfrae finished as runner up with a time of 4:14:38.
"I love you Coeur d'Alene, you're awesome," Jackson said. "It feels like a hometown race."
"This is really huge for me. We had a great field here and there were four, five, six girls that could've easily won today so it's a battle all day," Jackson said.
Jackson, a Bend, Ore. native, previously won her first full Ironman in Coeur d'Alene.
Heather Wurtele from Canada took the final spot on the podium with an overall time of 4:20:30, according to Ironman. Fellow Canadian Melanie McQuaid came in fourth with a time of 4:20:59, and American Haley Chura came in fifth with a total time of 4:22:23, according to provisional results.
The Ironman 70.3 started on Sunday at 6 a.m. with competitors beginning a 1.2 mile swim before moving on to the bicycle and running portions.
After the 1.2 mile swim, the athletes must complete a 56 mile bike ride and 13.1 mile run. The run is equivalent to a half-marathon. A full Ironman is double these distances.
This is the third year there will be a Ironman 70.3, with full length races being held from 2003-2017.
KREM's Amanda Roley is in Coeur d'Alene covering the Ironman 70.3 and posting updates via Twitter and Instagram.
Full Ironman possibly returning to Coeur d'Alene
Coeur d'Alene may see another full Ironman Triathlon starting in 2021 after Coeur d'Alene City Councilor Dan Gookin told KREM that he supports bringing the race back, and that he suspected that the rest of the council agrees.
Gookin also said that the council received an email from Coeur d'Alene City Administrator Troy Tymesen, in which Tymesen said that the North Idaho Sports Commission was working with the CDA Chamber of Commerce to transition into hosting a full Ironman starting in 2021.
NISC Vice President Britt Bachtel-Browning said the NISC, the City of Coeur d'Alene and Ironman have been working to bring the full-length race back since its departure was announced.
Most athletes finish in the six to eight hour range.
Earlier this week, KREM's Taylor Viydo met with Spokane Ironman athlete Travis Melcher, who is competing to raise suicide prevention awareness after losing his two brothers to suicide.
"You just put one foot in front of the other, and that's what I did with each one of my family's passings as well," Melcher said of training for the triathlon.