Ironman South Africa Preview

The men's race looks to be quite exciting. There does not seem to be a clear favourite amongst the challenges. Stephen Bayliss the defending champion will be back a month after collecting a sixth place at Ironman New Zealand. Raynard Tissink will be looking to stop him however. He has had to settle for the runner-up position for the last two years, and will be determined to win in his home country. Others to watch for will be Petr Vabrousek (who will be lining up for his third iron distance event of the year), Marino Vanhoenacker (three time winner of Ironman Austria) and Olivier Maceau (who is more often seen on the xterra or triathlon circuit).

Professional Male

	LAST NAME	FIRST NAME
1.	Bayliss	Stephen
2.	Cunnama	James
3.	Domnik	Norbert
4.	Freeman	Bryn
5.	Fruehwirth	Alexander
6.	Gohner	Michael
7.	Gore	Glen
8.	Gray	Justin
9.	Johnson	Rob
10.	Klaus	Thomas
11.	Olivier	Marceau
12.	Pedraza	Sebastian
13.	Raudsepp	Raimo
14.	Schellens	Gerrit
15.	Schoissengeier	Peter
16.	Storm	Carl
17.	Storm	Brad
18.	Storm	Anton
19.	Tissink	Raynard
20.	Vabrousek	Petr
21.	Van Der Leeuw	Phillipe
22.	Van Lingen	Lawrence
23.	Vanhoenacker	Marino
24.	Venhorst	Andreas

 In comparison, the women's race has two clear favourites in defending champion Bella Bayliss (formally Comerford) and Andrea Brede.  Last year Bayliss and her new husband Stephen walked away with both titles and they will be looking to repeat that result in 2009.  If she retains her title she will move to the top of the table ahead of Gina Ferguson. Brede is the 2006 Ironman Germany champion. She doesn't race often but when she does she has posted some very quick times. She is a strong athlete in all three disciplines and it will be hard to pick a winner between her and Bayliss. The main challenge to Bayliss and Brede will most likely come from Lucie Zelenkova. Zelonkova will be fresh from her 4th place finish at the Ironman Singapore 70.3 and will be looking to edge out Bayliss and Brede for the win to go with her Ironman South Africa 70.3 title. 

Professional Female

	LAST NAME	FIRST NAME
1.	Bayliss	Bella
2.	Brede	Andrea
3.	Brewer	Jane
4.	Buley	Helen
5.	Cronje	Kathryn
6.	Daniel	Wilma
7.	Dupont	Anne-marie
8.	Gordon	Jacqui
9.	Joyce	Rachel
10.	Kinsley	Claire
11.	Koll	Caroline
12.	Tajsich	Sonja
13.	Zelenkova	Lucie

 

Ironman Australia 2009 Preview

April is looking to be a cracker month for ironman racing with three races in Australia, South Africa and China. First up is Australia with Patrick Vernay looking to defend his title against a surge of Aussie hopefuls. Will Tim Berkel be able to back up his performance from Australia after a shocker at the Australian Long Distance Championships where he finished in last place? Will the swim/bike combination of Pete Jacobs be too much for the other contenders? He is in good form after winning the Australian Long Distance Championships where he beat the likes of current world champion Craig Alexander. Jason Shortis will be looking to improve on his 2nd place at Ironman Western Australia but rumour has it he has suffered a little in the last month with illness. Simon Thompson's ironman debut will be watched with interest. Will he have the strength and endurance to match his short course success? There will also be keen interest in American Tim DeBoom's return to ironman racing. The dark horse could be 2007's Ironman Wisconsin winner Maik Twelsiek who after Patrick Vernay's 6th place at the 2008 Hawaii Ironman was next ranked of the bunch in 14th position.

MALE START LIST

1	VERNAY Patrick
2	ANDERSON Mitchell
3	HECHT Mathias
4	BERKEL Tim
5	DEBOOM Timothy
6	SHORTIS Jason
7	JOHNSEN Jimmy
8	JACOBS Pete
9	THOMPSON Simon
10	TWELSIEK Maik
11	WHITE Matt
12	WATT Cameron
13	OGDEN Courtney
14	RIX Joshua
15	LOVERIDGE Peter
16	STEPHENS Matt
17	STEWART Nathan
18	DMITRIEFF Chris
19	WISNIEWSKI Paul
20	HOLBOROW Adam
21	YOUNG Dantley
22	ALEX Steffen
23	CARON Jonathan
24	BRADER Christian
25	HOWARD Ben
26	GOEHLER Rene
27	RADCLIFFE Toby
28	FRANKEN Darren

 

The women's race in comparison is looking to be a two horse race between current world champion Chrissie Wellington and Aussie Rebekah Keat. With a new coach, a new bike, a new training base and a whole extra year of training behind her in her short career Chrissie Wellington will be looking to go under the nine hour mark. She dominated this race last year finishing in the top 10 overall in a time of 9.03 only half an hour or so behind winner Patrick Vernay. Rebekah Keat the 2007 Ironman Australian Champion will be looking to topple the Brit. She also has a new coach, in fact Chrissie Wellington's old coach and old team teamtbb, and also a new bike and new training base to go with it. She missed the race in 2008 due to injury and I'm sure she would have been

 disappointed in her 18th place finish at the 2008 Hawaii Ironman and will be looking to come back with a vengeance. If Michelie Jones in fact starts this race she could be in with a chance, but I don't think she has the run to put up much of a challenge against either Wellington or Keat. Further Aussie hopes will lie with the return to racing of Kate Bevilaqua who struggled in 2008 with a stress fracture and a broken collar bone. 

FEMALE START LIST

35	WELLINGTON Chrissie
36	JONES Michellie
37	KEAT Rebekah
38	BEVILAQUA Kate
39	POLLETT Sarah
40	COYLE Alison
41	BLAZEVIC Svetlana
42	HARRISON Belinda
43	FRANKS Elly
44	STEFFEN Caroline
45	FALLOWS Anne
46	KINNEGIM Irene