Huge pro fields to battle in the desert at Ironman Arizona

Ironman Arizona's 10th edition sees 97 professionals, including Jordan Rapp and Meredith Kessler, compete for valuable KPR points and Kona qualification amidst 3000 age-group athletes in Tempe.

Huge pro fields to battle in the desert at Ironman Arizona
Jordan Rapp. Photo: Ironman.com

A long list of professional athletes will toe the line this weekend to contest the tenth running of Ironman Arizona. In the twilight of the North American season, some 97 professionals are making the trip to Tempe for a chance take home valuable 2014 KPR points. Some 3000 Age-Group competitors will also be duking it out in the desert with the promise of fast times and a chance of a ticket to Hawaii.

Men’s Race:

Leading the men’s field will be 2009 Champion Jordan Rapp. When taking his win here, Rapp rode a stomping 4:22:35 bike split – the bike-course record which still stands. After a disappointing Hawaii campaign where he was forced to DNF after experiencing dehydration and increased core-temperatures, Rapp will be hungry to end his season with a big performance.

Jozsef Major pulled out of Ironman Florida earlier this month after completing the bike course well behind the race leaders, and he too will be looking for a positive race. Pedro Gomes showed he is good form with a 4:21 bike and 2:53 marathon at the same race, so he will be one to watch. Trevor Wurtele took his maiden Ironman title on a very tough course, proving he can race up front and close out wins in tough conditions.

US Olympian Matt Chrabot will be one to watch as he makes his Ironman debut. Chrabot has seen long-distance success this year, most-recently with a big win over the likes of Ben Hoffman and Richie Nicholls at Austin 70.3 in October where he ran a blazing 1:11 half-marathon.

Victor Del Corral is also on the startlist only weeks after running one of the best Ironman marathons in history to take the win at Ironman Florida. In one of the year’s best performances, Del Corral ran a 2:37 marathon to chase down a charging Andrew Starykovicz who rode a 4:02 bike split, breaking his own Ironman bike-split record.

Olympic Rower-turned-triathlete Todd Skipworth -who has been improving under the guidance of Brett Sutton- will be sole Australian competitor. Matt Russell, Matty Reed and Ritchie Nicholls will also be toeing the line, ready to take it to the field.

Women’s Race:

Meredith Kessler is the hot favourite this Sunday in Tempe. Kessler took second here last year behind Saucony team mate Linsey Corbin. Kessler took 7th on the Big Island last month, her best-ever Kona performance. Kessler reminded us of her good form with a win last weekend at Rev3 Florida, and we can expect the American to exit the water at the front with compatriot Amanda ‘Doc’ Stevens, and take the race up the road.

Meredith Kessler exiting the waters of Lake Taupo en route to the win at Ironman Nez Zealand this year. Photo: Daryl Carey
Meredith Kessler exiting the waters of Lake Taupo en route to the win at Ironman Nez Zealand this year. Photo: Daryl Carey

Stevens took 11th in Hawaii this year, knocking on the door of a Top-10 finish. She’ll be hungry for a win, after coming so close this year and playing the bridesmaid on more than one occasion.

Danish pro Michelle Vesterby is another favourite to challenge for the title on Sunday. Vesterby used a first-pack swim and bike to take 8th place in Hawaii, showing she has what it takes to race with the best in the game. She’ll be hot in the heels of the Kessler and Stevens out of the water, and we can expect these three girls to be in contention all day.

German Uli Bromme took out Ironman Canada this year, and is fresher than most of the contenders, not having raced Kona. Bromme will be chasing, though, as her swim isn’t the same calibre as Stevens et al.

BIB # LAST FIRST AGE Gender Country
1 Rapp Jordan 33 MPRO USA
2 Major Jozsef 34 MPRO HUN
6 Gomes Pedro 29 MPRO PRT
8 Wurtele Trevor 34 MPRO CAN
9 Russell Matthew 30 MPRO USA
12 Reed Matt 38 MPRO USA
14 Shearon Jonathan 33 MPRO USA
15 Wheeler Patrick 28 MPRO USA
16 Vrabel Jozef 40 MPRO SVK
18 Chrabot Matt 30 MPRO USA
19 Chevrot Denis 25 MPRO FRA
20 Nicholls Ritchie 26 MPRO GBR
21 Toth Anthony 24 MPRO CAN
24 McIntosh Dan 29 MPRO USA
25 Way Luke 31 MPRO CAN
26 Franks Logan 26 MPRO USA
27 Bagg Chris 34 MPRO USA
28 Umphenour Joe 44 MPRO USA
29 Wygand Richard 33 MPRO USA
30 McCrystal Bryan 32 MPRO IRL
31 Whitfield Richard 32 MPRO GBR
32 Tarkowski Jeff 0 MPRO USA
33 Lubinski Jim 35 MPRO USA
34 Facomprez Pierre-Yves 30 MPRO FRA
36 Schuster Patrick 41 MPRO USA
37 Furtado Raul 34 MPRO BRA
38 Duelsen Marc 28 MPRO DEU
39 Skipworth Todd 28 MPRO AUS
40 Del Corral Victor 33 MPRO ESP
41 Naef Brendan 37 MPRO CAN
42 Milam Jared 26 MPRO USA
43 Gardner Allen 27 MPRO USA
45 Baldwin Nick 25 MPRO SYC
46 Mazzetta Gabriele 34 MPRO ITA
47 Hast Jarmo 37 MPRO FIN
48 Woods Jon 38 MPRO NZL
49 Sickl Heinrich 40 MPRO AUT
50 Petersen-Bach Jens 29 MPRO DNK
51 Russell Andrew 31 MPRO CAN
52 Nemcik Marek 38 MPRO SVK
54 Cain Ryan 32 MPRO CAN
55 Abel Torsten 39 MPRO DEU
56 Ward Munoz Nicholas 31 MPRO GBR
57 Young Dantley 29 MPRO USA
58 Brader Christian 33 MPRO DEU
59 Kilshaw Stephen 29 MPRO CAN
60 Ackermann Johann 29 MPRO DEU
61 Seifarth Josh 24 MPRO CAN
63 Minnema Jimi 35 MPRO USA
64 Gerlach Thomas 32 MPRO USA
65 Gronlund Timo 26 MPRO USA
66 Wade Robbie 31 MPRO USA
67 Elliot Lewis 33 MPRO USA
68 Botelho Raymond 40 MPRO USA
69 Vinolas Josep 34 MPRO ESP
70 Reichel Horst 31 MPRO DEU
71 Wegscheider Erich 27 MPRO USA
73 Hanson Matt 28 MPRO USA
118 Bryden Jordan 27 MPRO CAN
119 Watson Jason 34 MPRO USA
BIB # LAST FIRST AGE Gender Country
76 Kessler Meredith 35 WPRO USA
77 bij de Vaate Heleen 39 WPRO NLD
78 Vesterby Michelle 30 WPRO DNK
79 Ribes Lisa 34 WPRO USA
80 Tomenson Miranda 28 WPRO CAN
81 Mueller Lisa 32 WPRO USA
82 Young Erin 36 WPRO USA
83 Jones Stephanie 35 WPRO USA
84 Lindholm Camilla 38 WPRO SWE
85 Lie Kristin 42 WPRO NOR
87 Lundstrom Asa 29 WPRO SWE
88 Shutt Beth 34 WPRO USA
89 Hankla Sarah 27 WPRO USA
90 Madison Mackenzie 27 WPRO USA
91 Pekerman Nina 36 WPRO ISR
92 Bromme Uli 32 WPRO USA
93 Meyers Jessica 35 WPRO USA
94 Gajer Julia 31 WPRO Deu
95 Riesler Diana 29 WPRO DEU
96 Bruck Kate 38 WPRO USA
98 Tobey Kristyn 31 WPRO USA
100 Chaffin Morgan 30 WPRO USA
101 Ciaverella Ann 43 WPRO USA
102 Baker Sarah 30 WPRO CAN
103 Piampiano Sarah 33 WPRO USA
104 Mullan Eimear 31 WPRO GBR
105 Van Veelen Julie 36 WPRO CAN
106 Gross Sara 37 WPRO CAN
107 Monticeli Ariane 31 WPRO BRA
108 Steinberg Steffi 32 WPRO DEU
109 Fletcher Christine 40 WPRO CAN
110 Holst Tine 33 WPRO DNK
111 Deim Trish 34 WPRO USA
113 Konschak Katja 35 WPRO DEU
114 Brown Brooke 35 WPRO CAN
115 Stevens Amanda 36 WPRO USA
117 Forshaw Amy 35 WPRO GBR

Athletes begin their day with a 3.8km swim in Tempe Town Lake before taking on a 3-lap 180km cycle leg through the Sonoran Desert and finishing with a 42.2km run around Tempe Town Lake and Papago Park. The course is considered to be fast and flat, but has the potential to be very tough should the conditions prove hot and windy.