IRONMAN TRIATHLON : Mark Allen Wins, Gains Confidence

After his second consecutive victory in the Ironman Triathlon World Championship, Mark Allen says he finally feels confident in competing in the 140-mile event.

“I finally feel like I can do it again,” Allen said after winning Saturday’s race. “In past races, I’ve had more failures than successes.”

Allen, of Cardiff, Calif., said he felt pressure because he was expected to win.

“I put pressure on myself,” he said. “My friends had more confidence in me than I did.”

His time for the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bicycle race and 26.2-mile run was 8 hours 28 minutes 17 seconds, compared to the record of 8:09:15 he set last year. He won $20,000.

Scott Tinley, who won the Ironman in 1982 and 1985, finished second with a time of 8:37:40. His finish gave him the overall Ironman World Series Championship.

After the bicycle race, Allen held a slight lead over Wolfgang Dittrich of Germany and Rob Mackle of Bloomington, Ind., who were the first two out of the water.

Allen expanded his lead in the run, pulling ahead at the five-mile marker.

Erin Baker of New Zealand won the women’s division for the second time; she also won in 1987. Her time this year was 9:13:42, well off the record of 9:00:56 set last year by Paula Newby-Fraser of Zimbabwe. Newby-Fraser finished second in 9:20:01.