Kelowna pro triathletes Heather and Trevor Wurtele started the new competitive season on the right foot with trips to the podium at Ironman 70. 3 Monterrey.
Heather captured the women's race in convincing fashion in a time of four hours eight minutes 19 seconds, nearly four minutes ahead of Denmark's Camilla Pedersen.
The difference was Wurtele's domination of the biking leg, as she posted a time of 2:16:49, more than three minutes ahead of her next competitor.
She then closed the race with a solid run of 1:22:09 to capture her first event of 2016.
Among Wurtele's highlights in 2015 was a second-place showing at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and first at the North American Ironman 70.3 Championships.
Silver for Trevor
Trevor Wurtele made a charge midway through the men's race before finishing second, one minute behind Great Britain's Tim Don, who clocked in a 3:42:53.
Like Heather in the women's event, Trevor turned in the fastest time of all racers in the biking leg at 2:03:22.
Wurtele overtook American Matt Chabot for second place on the bike, then stretched his lead on the run (1:13:34) to secure the silver medal.
Wurtlele is a former Ironman Canada champion (2013) and winner Ironman 70.3 New Orleans in 2012.