2015 Ironman Chattanooga has dramatic win

Officials have hailed it the closest race in Iron Man history with winner Kirill Kostegarov from Estonia winning by only a few feet.

In a dramatic finish to a dramatic race, the top three finishers of the 2015 Little Debbie Ironman Chattanooga collapsed in exhaustion just feet from the finish line.

"I’m extremely happy," said Kostegarov. "Winning the Ironman especially like that, it’s amazing."

Kostegarov finished the 144 mile race in 8 hours, 8 minutes and 32 seconds.

The three Ironmen were neck and neck most of the race with things heating up during the end of the run.

Words weren’t passed between them but a battle of wills raged through the finish line.

"We were all quiet," he said. "I think everyone was suffering so bad. There’s not really much you can talk about. We were just running to see who cracks first."

The fastest female finished at 8 hours and 56 minutes even.

And she was the fastest female by over ten minutes.

"I saw where some of the girls were on the first lap of the run just in the turn around and I thought, geez, I didn’t realize I had that much of a gap," said fastest female Ironman Carrie Lester from Australia.

This was Lester’s sixth Ironman championship.

Little Debbie sponsors the event.

But winners don’t receive a lifetime supply of the tasty snacks.

"I had my first one because it was given to us in the race pack," Lester said. "It was very good but I don’t want to have them too often."

Future Ironman in their 20’s raced alongside future ironman in their 70’s.

And grandkids from all over were there to cheer them on.

"It’s fun giving the high fives and and seeing people run," said Miles and Marcus from Atlanta who were cheering their grandfather on.

Over 22 hundred people competed in the second ever ironman Chattanooga.

Ironman has a contract with the city to host 3 more after this years.