Cycling mode

What struck me straight off was that the Suunto is more of a watch, whereas the Garmin is essentially a training computer on your wrist. The Suunto looks good, and I am happy to wear it around all day. The Garmin is only worn when training and to be honest I find it a pretty ordinary ‘time piece’. What also impressed over the period of the trial was the battery life of the Suunto. With the unit in constant use I only needed to recharge it after 8 days, and the unit recharges anyway when it is plugged into the computer to download your training sessions. With the Garmin I switch it off between all training sessions, and still need to recharge it every 2-3 days. I suppose it is all relative, the Polar used to have its battery replaced after about 18 months.

The second thing I was struck by is that the Suunto requires a bit more effort to get set up than the Garmin, which is ready to use out of the box. I found the watch buttons and menu screens to be rather less intuitive than the Garmin and spent about 30 minutes or so preparing the watch to be ready for my first session. This also only gave me basic functionality, to set the watch up to record 1K intervals on the run, and to change the screen so that I could see the data I was interested in required me to download the www.movescount.com software onto my computer and make the changes there for upload to the watch. Even then it was that not easy, and I was annoyed to return from a 21K run to find that contrary to expectations I only had a single run split and could not track my pace over the course. More reading up and set up required on my part. Am I the only one that gets annoyed by the lack of anything other than a very basic user guide being included with purchases now?

In terms of fit and feel, the Suunto feels a little heavier than the Garmin on my wrist, and being circular did not fit quite as comfortably into the wrist as the rectangular Garmin, but this was only minor, and the Suunto was comfortable. The loops used to keep the strap in place are very effective, so effective in fact that releasing the strap requires a bit of effort!

The Suunto scores very highly in my books on the display. The display is really big and easy to read when training in all sports, and the backlight (with a really nice feature of being able to reverse the display lighting) makes reading the display in poor lighting super easy. Much better than either the Garmin or Polar in this regard.

Unlike the Polar and Garmin there is no wireless transfer of data to your computer. My initial reaction was that having to plug your unit in to the computer was a bit of a pain, however I have changed my mind. Often with the wireless transfers I encounter problems with data not transferring correctly or at all. No such problems when you directly connect the unit, with the added advantage that your units’ battery is also being recharged. I now think this is a plus.

In terms of the analysis you are able to do on your training, the Movescount software does not appear on first glance to be as flexible and detailed as the Garmin software. Having said that as you can see from the screen grab (below) it provides all the basic information you need, including (on the run) maps, speed/pace and altitude, and splits when you work out how to set them! Suunto have also provided the ability for users to create Apps, which allows you to access a great range of features that will continue to grow. There are hundreds of pages of Apps, you can track your heart rate zones, the incline of the hill you are ascending, and my personal favourite one that tells you how many beers you have burnt (and therefore how many I can have after the session!)

My big bug bear with the Garmin is the altitude recording. While originally this feature worked well, after one of the not infrequent firmware upgareds this feature stopped working, and going by the blogs this is a common fault. I am often amused to see now that I can gain 19,000 meters in a swim squad. No such problems with the Suunto.

So in summary I think if you want one unit that combines as a cool time piece and a serious training tool the Suunto ticks the boxes very nicely. It does require a little initial set up, but in reality this is minimal and a poor reflection on us if we have become so lazy and in need of instant gratificaton that we cannot expend a little bit of effort up front.

In the women’s race Australian Kirralee Seidel won after coming from behind after the swim where she had to put in a fast bike to bridge the gap. Her run was too good for the field.

We caught up with Jesse Featonby to congratulate him and hear first hand how the race went. After a travel debacle to rival ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’, Featonby arrived at the race 11am the day before, prepared himself in record time and had the race of his life.

The strong international field was field was lead by multiple ITU Premium Cup winner Vladimir Turbayevskiy along with two other Russian athletes, and with a large representation of Australian athletes making their way over to compete it was going to be crucial for Featonby to put himself in a strong position throughout the entire race. With the addition of heavy rain all week and on race morning, the six lap technical bike course was also an important factor to watch out for.

Jesse Featonby in action during an earlier race – Photo credit: Cliff Clegg

On race morning Featonby wasn’t feeling that great. “After a solid warm up I was confident the training I had done in the weeks leading up would put all the disasters of the trip far out of my mind.”

The two lap swim went far better than he had anticipated. “I didn’t feel good in the water but fought hard and hung on to the front guys coming through the first lap which was lead by Australian Mitch Kealey. This was a massive shock as some solid swimmers including Ron Darmon, Alex Latin and Vladimir Turbayevskiy were all within my sights. I put in everything I had to make sure I stayed with the group and I entered transition in the lead pack of 12 athletes.”

Featonby had a great transition and settled into the pack over the six lap rain soaked course. Several attacks were made by Sam Speechly and Ben Lyons with Ben unfortunately suffering the consequences of wet weather and getting a puncture on lap 3. He wasn’t the only one as several others became victims over the 40km. The chase pack which included some strong runners such as Matt Brown and Tim George were gaining significant time on the leading group. “With a brand new Trek Madone underneath me I backed myself and had a few goes at breaking away from the bunch. I was chased down continuously and with a lap to go the chase group made contact taking the group out  to about 20 athletes. With one last attempt with half a lap to go myself and Alex Latin, a good friend from Estonia, slipped away and in just one lap got a solid 30 second lead into the second transition.”

With a lead heading out on to the 10km run Featonby found himself in a position he has never been in at this level of competition. With a lot of confidence back into his running fitness he didn’t let the nerves take control. “I focused on a plan of holding the 30 second gap rather than blowing myself up on the first lap. The up and back four lap course allowed me to judge the competition.” Featonby’s main chasers were Kealey, Vladimir Turbayevskiy, George and Latin who were running shoulder to shoulder over the first half of the run. He held the lead from the chasers for the first 5km. “Over the final 5km I gave everything I had left and turning the final U-turn with 1.25km to go, I was thrilled to see I had extended my gap from Turbayevskiy and Kealey. While I was still a long way from the line, I couldn’t help but smile the final kilometer as it started to sink in what I was about to achieve.

After overcoming the shambles of a lead up the days before, Featonby was ecstatic to finally get his turn to lead the way down the finish chute to win his first ITU Premium Cup. “With 30:37 10km run I’ve definitely bounced back from the injury of last year!”

Mitch Kealey took out the bronze for another fantastic Australia result.

In the women’s race Australia also had a great win with Kirralee Seidel winning the gold ahead of fellow Australian Gillian Backhouse coming in for the silver.

Full results and splits below.

Triathlon.org

There has been much talk of late surrounding hyponatremia, fluid intake and sodium supplementation during training and racing.

Hyponatremia is low blood sodium concentration, caused by water intake that exceeds requirements to the point where electrolyte (sodium) concentration is diluted.  Endurance athletes have long been given the information about not trusting our thirst mechanism – statements like “it is too late when you get thirsty” are commonplace in the endurance world. It is therefore a concern that people actually end up over drinking.

Sodium is something we need. That is not in doubt.

From a personal perspective, I totally agree with the fact that over-drinking has become a problem, especially in long distance triathlon and ultra distance running. We have been instructed to drink, drink, drink at every opportunity. This is a very blanket approach that doesn’t give nearly enough consideration to individual situations and differences that may influence one’s need to drink. Individual sweat rates are greatly influenced by humidity, temperature, effort levels, acclimatisation and dietary sodium levels to name a few. Thus to suggest a very generalised guideline about how much to drink is somewhat misleading, especially as those reading and strictly adhering to such information are typically less experienced and trained than others who have structured hydration plans developed through years of experience – and who are less likely to change their plan based on generalised information.

Over-drinking places a large strain on the gut. Early stages of over drinking can give GI (gastro-intestinal) distress/bloating and in extreme cases can cause hyponatremia. But on the other hand, if one gets too dehydrated during a race, it leads to an exponential reduction in performance. Considering these points, it is vital to get it right and something that should be tested as much as ones training!

Something that I personally use and recommend for my athletes is a fluid balance chart used regularly in training. This involves weighing yourself prior to and following each key session, then working out how much weight you have lost, taking into account intake of food and drink.  With optimal hydration, you should be the same weight at the end of the session as you were at the start. This may sound complicated, but is a great learning tool for athletes and often gives them a sense of trust in the signs their bodies are giving them, engendering a better understanding of how to manage their bodies in different temperatures and humidity levels.

With regards to ‘salt tablets’: there are some conflicting views in the literature on their usefulness and place in endurance nutrition. Like any good peer review process, the debate rages on and will probably continue to do so for some time! People have recently been suggesting that some articles supporting ingestion of sodium during endurance competition are inconclusive, that there is evidence to suggest sodium ingestion is a waste of time, and that it has no affects on race performance or the likelihood of cramping.

I pay very close attention to research and how I can use it to improve my practice as a physio, a coach and an athlete. I read new research all the time to make sure I am up-to-date and progressive in my practice, as I strive to be the best practitioner, athlete and coach I possibly can be. That said, I also use my experience and that of respected others to plan the best possible decisions for treatment or coaching approach with clients. The experience of seeing, treating and hearing how clients have responded to my treatment or coaching methods over many years is a VITAL tool in the evidence-based practice approach – and is even more important in when the research literature is conflicting. In this particular matter, there is a long way to go before we’ll have any accepted theories in the research literature to work with – so my evidence-based stance now is to work with what I’ve seen, heard and personally experienced to be effective.

As just one example, I used to experience cramps during hot or humid training sessions and races. I then did a sweat test that not only measured my sweat rate, but also measured the electrolyte levels in my sweat and the results were very interesting. It turned out I had a sweat rate in the high end of the normal range, but I had a very high (well above the normal range) electrolyte concentration in my sweat. Based on this information I increased my sodium ingestion in hot races and training sessions, with excellent outcomes. While this, like a great deal of information around the topic, is anecdotal evidence the outcomes speak for themselves, which is good enough for me.

When this discussion was heightened in the middle of 2012 I did a poll of my own and asked as many professional middle and long course athletes as I could (close to thirty) their plans with regards to salt supplementation during races. Almost every single athlete I asked said they supplemented with sodium, especially in hot and/or humid races.  This tells me that highly-trained, finely-tuned athletes with a good understanding of their optimal nutritional intake perceive that sodium supplementation is an important part of their race nutrition and performance. So while there is limited academic evidence to categorically support salt supplementation and some to suggest it has no benefit at all, there is very little likelihood that this will change a professional athlete’s race day nutrition – and it definitely won’t change mine.

About Alex Price

Alex Price

Bach. App. Sc. (Physio)

In this way he will be exactly the same as most people competing, Kona is their ultimate goal.

But one thing almost every other athlete in the race will have that Chaffey doesn’t is the use of their legs.

In 2005 while on a training ride for IRONMAN Australia, Port Macquarie Chaffey was hit by a truck and left partially paralysed.

Bill Chaffey is an inspiration to all

Early on in his recovery he sent an email to John Maclean, who in 1988 was also hit by a truck on a training ride. In 1995 Maclean become the first person in a wheelchair to finish Ironman event in Hawaii, and is in the Ironman hall of fame.

“He was very inspirational in getting me back into triathlon after my injury. I’d read about John prior to my accident which is how I knew I’d still be able to compete afterward,” Chaffey said.

“I sent him an email after getting out of hospital, enquiring about where to buy a race chair so I could compete in marathons. He was very positive and encouraged me to return to triathlon instead.

“Just like when I took the dare to do my first triathlon in 2001, I took the bait again and the rest is history.

“It was great to meet him in Sydney earlier this year. It was also great to be able to race him too. If I can do half of what he did for triathlon I’ll be pretty happy with that.”

Chaffey went on to be Crowned World Para Triathlon Champion in 2009, 2011 and 2012, and hopes to add IRONMAN World Champion to that list.

“I’m very focused on Kona. After my accident 5 days before the Forster Ironman in 2005 I thought I’d be lucky to be able to do any Ironman let alone the Ironman world championships,” Chaffey said.

“When they made Cairns a qualifying event for my category I jumped at the chance. Previously hand-cycle athletes had to race a half in either Buffalo or Belgium to qualify which made it difficult for Southern Hemisphere athletes.

“Kona will be an awesome opportunity.”

The 2013 Cairns Airport Adventure Festival runs from 2 – 9 June, 2013.

For more information visit www.ironmancairns.com | www.cairnsadventurefestival.com.au.

About Ironman

The iconic Ironman^® brand and event series is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since its inception in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^® by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Recognized for excellence through distinguished events, world-class athletes and quality products, World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), owner and operator of Ironman, has grown from a single race to a global sensation with more than 180 events across five unique brands: Ironman, Ironman 70.3^®, 5150^™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl^® and IronKids^®.  With support from partners, including Timex, PowerBar, K-Swiss and TYR, more than 200,000 athletes compete each season in the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Series. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.

The Cairns Airport Adventure Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Events Queensland as part of a growing calendar of sporting, cultural and regional events across the State.

They have announced that in partnership with The National Trust, the ‘Brownlee Tri’ will be taking place at the World Heritage Site of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal.

Date: September 21, 2013

Entries Open: 10am on Tuesday, June 4 (local time)

“We want this triathlon to be part of our legacy. Yorkshire is our county and it has played a key part in our success, it’s a great location for our first event.”

Alistair Brownlee, 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist

“Come and join us in Yorkshire for an incredible event and a great triathlon experience. The area has been such a big influence on us and the athletes we have become.”

Jonathan Brownlee, 2012 Olympic Bronze Medallist and ITU World Champion

Full details www.brownleetriathlon.com

Drew joins the outstanding Boardman Elite triathlon sponsorship program – which won men’s Olympic Gold and Bronze medals and the Ironman & ITU World titles in 2012.

Drew is one person blessed with some impressive genes.

“Drew is an awesome talent and has been on my radar for quite sometime. His father is a complete living legend and a total inspiration for the sport and a personal hero of mine. And his mother, Anna Scott-Kube is equally inspiring – swimming for the US national team between 87-88. It’s just fantastic to see Drew’s pedigree and talent also being recognised with his ‘breakthrough season’ seeing him win amateur triathlete of the year.  (USA Triathlon 2012 – Triathlete of the Year) From a Boardman brand’s perspective supporting an emerging new talent is just so exciting. And as we have seen and done with Pete Jacobs and the Brownlee Brothers we are here to support him and help him win. A real bright star with a phenomenal future…” enthuses Alan Ingarfield, Co-Founder Boardman Bikes.

Drew will be riding the Kona winning AiR/TT/9.8 and the flagship of the Tri/TT range designed by British cycling legend Chris Boardman. “Working with Drew and all our elite athletes always proves to be an inspiring, informative and valuable process and allows us to address the specific tri-focused challenges in our pursuit to perfect pure performance with the latest technology, engineering and R&D programs – all of which are Designed to Win.” states Chris Boardman, R&D Director and Co-Founder.

“I’m very excited to be partnering with Boardman Bikes and fortunate to have the opportunity to work with them as I begin my professional triathlon career. The work and dedication that has been put into the development of their bikes, led by Chris Boardman, is extremely impressive. To be able to learn from someone like Chris as I continue to progress in the sport will be fantastic. I can’t wait to be racing aboard the AiR TT/9.8” adds Drew.

Drew will be focusing on a race schedule that builds to the 70.3 World Championships in September. Drew will be joining fellow US race focused Boardman riding triathletes including Kyle Leto (USA), Jimmy Archer (USA), Josh Rix (Aus), James Hadley (UK) and Richard Allen (UK).

More information is available at www.boardmanbikes.com

facebook.com/BoardmanBikes.1^st

twitter.com/Boardman_Bikes

About Boardman Bikes

Following a successful launch in 2007, Boardman Bikes has become the fastest growing new bicycle brand in the UK and established worldwide critical acclaim, garnering multiple Olympic, World, European and National titles alongside test-winning product reviews. The brand was co-founded by world-renowned British Cyclist Chris Boardman MBE – arguably one of the most influential cyclists of his generation and instrumental to the success of the British Cycling team today. Chris is both the inspiration behind and the R&D Director to the Boardman brand, using the wealth of experience gained from his Pro career and beyond to design and develop world-class bicycles.

Join us for a full breakfast on Monday morning after Ironman Cairns with special guests Pete Jacobs and Liz Blatchford

Thanks to Toyota Australia, Trizone and Healthwise Active Travel, you have the unique opportunity to experience a ‘Cairns Ironman and 70.3′ post-race breakfast with the pros.

Discuss the previous day’s race with your fellow triathletes, as well as World Ironman Champion Pete Jacobs and Busselton 70.3 champion, Ironman debutant and former top ITU triathlete Liz Blatchford.

These seasoned pros will talk about their race and share with you their tips and tricks that you can use for your next triathlon or Ironman event.

Spectators and non-participants are also welcome!

This breakfast will be raising funds for the John Maclean Foundation. The John Maclean Foundation (JMF) exists to change the lives of young Australians who use wheelchairs. Founder, John Maclean is the first wheelchair athlete to have completed the famous Hawaii Ironman triathlon amongst many other amazing achievements.

Event Details

• When: Monday 10 June, 08:30am sharp – 10am (plenty of time to collect your bikes and gear afterwards)
• Where: Marlin Room Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns (adjacent to the roll down)
• Cost: Free breakfast. This is a beautiful $45 breakfast from the Shangri-La Hotel. All we ask is that you make a donation to the John McLean Foundation via the registration link below.
• Includes: Full hot and cold buffet breakfast, including cereals, breads and fresh fruits, fresh orange and apple juice, tea and coffee

This breakfast is limited to 80 places, so be quick to secure your spot!

Click here to Register Now

Pete Jacobs winning the 2012 Urban Hotel Group Ironman 70.3 Cairns

A very happy Liz Blatchford wins Huskisson after coming from behind on the run

Javier Gomez Noya taking a great win

Gomez dominated the competition throughout, scoring his dream debut in Calella. “I only have one word: spectacular. In the beginning, I tried to manage my effort in the very demanding cycling segment, but when I saw myself getting comfortable and securing enough margin, I decided to enjoy the run course and its public. I am very happy with my result, the atmosphere and the great organization of this Challenge competition.”

Jens Toft was the first to complete the 1.9km swim course, followed only three seconds later by Javier Gómez Noya and by Russian Yaroshenko in third position.

After the T1 start, the Dane led the first kilometers of the bike segment. The Spaniard started in second position at 13 seconds. Yaroshenko and Italian Alberto Casadei came next. In the downhill part, Gómez Noya launched an attack and managed to overcome the Dane and get in first position.

After that, the Spaniard continuously increased his advantage, making the final 21km run look easy. He finished with a six-minute advantage on the runner-up, Martin Jensen, and eight minutes ahead of bronze medalist Jens Toft.

Four-times world champion Chris McCormack, finished sixth. “I travelled a long way looking for a challenge, and I found it. It was a hard race, a very good training at the beginning of the season. Furthermore, I have been able to enjoy it alongside Javier Gómez Noya, an incredible person with whom I can find no fault; he is extremely talented and very classy. I would feel privileged if he would succeed me in this distance; it has been a real pleasure to compete with him in a town like Calella and with the spectacular organization provided by Challenge.”

In the women’s race Camilla Pedersen managed an impressive victory taking the European title and her second consecutive win at Challenge Half Barcelona.

After the swim course, Maria Czesnik and Ricarda Lisk were leading the competition, together with Holly Lawrence and Camilla Pedersen.

At the start of the 90km bike leg Great Britain’s Holly Lawrence headed the race, followed by Pedersen and Lisk. The Danish athlete imposed a strong rhythm and achieved the best intermediate mark of this course. Pedersen then managed to leave her rivals as she showed her strength on the challenging cycle course.

The women’s podium

Pedersen maintained her advantage all along the 21-km run course and reached the finish line with a wide margin over her rivals. Ireland’s Eimear Mullan made the finish line five minutes and 35 seconds after the Dane and won the silver medal. Mullan maintained a constant pace throughout the three segments. Polish athlete Maria Czesnik finished seven minutes after Pedersen and scored the bronze medal.

Upon reaching the finish line, Pedersen declared “it has been incredible… a real challenge with this new cycling course. I had problems with my bike a couple of times, but everything ended up well and I managed to enjoy the circuit, where I felt really comfortable. I love this circuit, it is fun and constitutes a real challenge. I never expect anything specific before starting a new race, I just go out there planning to give my best and it makes me really happy to win.”

For further information and full results, please visit www.challenge-barcelona.es.

The Challenge Family celebrates the sport of triathlon through its global series of long distance events and festivals that are changing the face of long distance racing around the world with its focus on athlete experience. Featuring spectacular courses in iconic destinations, Challenge Family events focus on delivering the race of a lifetime to every athlete, and creating a memorable spectator experience that captures all the excitement and emotion of this inspirational sport. The Challenge Family series currently features 18 events around the world including the world’s largest long distance triathlon, Challenge Roth in Germany. Other Challenge Family races take place in Germany, Holland, Austria, Canada, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, New Zealand, Thailand and Taiwan.

For further information on Challenge Family, please visit www.challenge-family.com or follow on Twitter @Challenge_Famil or like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChallengeFamily.

The 28 year old won in his first race back following a freak accident four months ago. He withdrew from his home city IRONMAN Asia Pacific Championships in Auckland in January after a driver opened a car door into his path while riding.

Terenzo Bozzone celebrates a race record win in Florida today. (Credit: FinisherPix)

He took three weeks break before his build-up for IRONMAN New Zealand in early March. During the race Bozzone veered strangely off course on the swim and withdrew early on the bike after feeling dizzy and unwell.

A week later psychometric testing pointed to delayed concussion as a result of the initial bike crash seven weeks earlier, and he was forced to take a complete break for more than a month, returning to racing in Florida today after five weeks back in training.

Bozzone moved to the front after the 90km bike with German Dirk Bockel at the IRONMAN Florida 70.3 race, and then was too strong on the run to win by more than a minute in 3:45.51.

During the first of three laps of the run, Bozzone led the way with Bockel just seconds behind, while American Kevin Collington worked his way into contention. Bozzone picked up the pace to open up 48-second lead in the second lap as the American moved passed Bockel.

The New Zealander showed real speed in the final lap to set a new course record.

“I am so excited to be on top of the podium. I’m pumped to get my first race of the season done with a win,” Bozzone said.

“It was not the usual pancake flat course you expect in Florida with hills on the bike and run. I am really pleased with how the day unfolded and where my fitness is at. I feel that I have strong base to grow on through the season and am looking forward to seeing what the rest of the year has in store.”

He will return to his base in Los Angeles before taking on the ITU Long Distance World Championships in France next month and target the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas in September.

Kiwi Ironwoman great Joanna Lawn finished 3rd overall in the women’s race. This was Lawn’s 3rd 70.3 in five weeks. Lawn was 4th at New Orleans 70.3 in late April.

Australia Sam Betten finished 7th overall with another Kiwi Callum Millward finishing 8th. Betten lead the swim until the final 200 meters, had the 4th fastest ride over the 90km’s (and just 5min off Lance Armstrong’s ride time from last year) and held on during the run in the Florida heat to claim 7th across the line. He is now looking forward to heading home to Australia after his first trip to the US to race long course. Betten is a young guy with a big future.

Results, Ironman Florida 70.3:

Any one of four or five guys could take out the Ironman with four obvious women in the running. We will see Michelle Wu and Liz Blatchford make their Ironman debuts against some experienced opponents.

Jason Shortis did not have any luck at the recent Ironman Australia so he has some unfinished business and a marathon still left in his legs. Clayton Fettell made his iron distance debut in 2011 over this course and showed his class at Ironman Melbourne recently after riding with Craig Alexander, Eneko Llanos, Marino Vanhoenacker amongst others in very tough conditions. His much older and seasoned competitors were very impressed with what they saw him do alongside them. Fettell is only 26yrs old and is still building his endruance and run legs. He will just keep getting better.

Chris McCormack has been training strongly and has been saving himself for a big race or two. We should see a very serious racing Macca at Cairns.

Luke McKenzie has been racing incredibly well lately over 70.3 and Olympic distance. He is running very fast. Could he make this title number 5?

The man that everyone will be looking to beat alongside Macca is Cameron Brown. He didn’t have the greatest race at Ironman New Zealand this year and will be looking for a big win at Cairns. He almost had the win of his life in Melbourne last year after one the the great Ironman battles with Craig Alexander. Not taking anything away from the 10 IMNZ wins at all but it was an epic race. Brown is also down to race the MetaMan iron distance race 7 weeks later in Bintan.

The men’s 70.3 is going to be an exciting race to watch. There is a wave of young guys coming through who are very fast and can swim/bike incredibly well. To name two or three guys means we have to name at least ten or twelve. The field is red hot. We will look at this over the next few days.

The women’s also will be good. There are a couple who have just done Ironman Australia. If they can back up it will be a great race. Marangon went well in WA with a penalty. Kiwi Sam Warriner will be hard to beat if she is in form.

More to come…