Pete Jacobs wins Ironman world championship

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii -- Australia's Pete Jacobs won the Ironman world championship Saturday, beating Germany's Andreas Raelert by more than four minutes.

The 31-year-old Jacobs, second last year, finished the 3.8-kilometer (2.4-mile) ocean swim in Kailua Bay, 178-kiometer (112-mile) bike ride through the scorching lava fields along the Kohala Coast and 42-kilometer (26 mile) run through Kailua Village and out onto Queen Kaahumanu Highway in 8 hours, 18 minutes, 37 seconds.

"I'm in love with this sport," Jacobs said moments after winning. "I'm so lucky to have this opportunity and have a good day out there. It was an unbelievable day and there's much love out there."

Jacobs was second off bike, more than eight minutes behind Belgium's Marino Vanhoenacker, and passed Vanhoenacker with little more than 16 kilometers (10 miles) left in the marathon. The winner earned $120,000.

The 36-year-old Raelert has his third top-three finish in four years. He finished in 8:23:40.

Belgium's Frederik Van Lierde was third in 8:24:09.

Vanhoenacker faded badly in the run after Jacobs passed him and wasn't a factor at the finish.

In the women's race, Britain's Leanda Cave pulled away in the last five kilometers (three miles) of the run to win her second world title of the year. The 34-year-old Cave won the Ironman 70.3 world championship last month and carried that momentum into Kona, finishing in 9:15:54.

"I'm kind of speechless," she said. "I just hope they don't come out with another distance. I'm getting too old for this."

Switzerland's Caroline Steffen was second in 9:16:58. (AP)