Good Morning from Taupo, New Zealand for the 31st Kellogg's Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand.
Rain that fell much of yesterday cleared to a nice evening. Forecast is for a clear day but potentially rain this evening.
Final professional fields are:
Bib First Name Last Name Category Code Country
PROFESSIONAL MALE ATHLETES
1 CAMERON BROWN MPRO A NZL
2 TERENZO BOZZONE MPRO A NZL
3 JOEL JAMESON MPRO A GBR
4 NICK BALDWIN MPRO A SYC
5 MIKE SCHIFFERLE MPRO A CHE
6 DYLAN MCNEICE MPRO A NZL
8 ANDREW YODER MPRO A USA
9 SIMON COCHRANE MPRO A NZL
10 TODD SKIPWORTH MPRO A AUS
21 JOHAN BORG MPRO A AUS
22 JAMES BOWSTEAD MPRO A NZL
23 JAMES COTTER MPRO A NZL
25 DAIKI MASUDA MPRO A JPN
26 GRAHAM O'GRADY MPRO A NZL
27 YOUNG HWAN OH MPRO A KOR
29 CARL READ MPRO A NZL
30 ALEX REITHMEIER MPRO A AUS
31 CHRIS SANSON MPRO A NZL
32 SHANON STALLARD MPRO A NZL
33 RICKY SWINDALE MPRO A AUS
34 MARCUS HULTGREN MPRO A SWE
PROFESSIONAL FEMALE ATHLETES
11 MEREDITH KESSLER FPRO B USA
12 GINA CRAWFORD FPRO B NZL
13 MELANIE BURKE FPRO B NZL
15 STEPHANIE JONES FPRO B USA
16 CONNY DAUBEN FPRO B DEU
17 ERIN FURNESS FPRO B NZL
18 JOCELYN MCCAULEY FPRO B USA
Mareen Hufe of Germany has withdrawn through illness from the elite women's race. Hufe finished ninth in IRONMAN NZ last year.
The elite males are due to start at 6.45am and the elite women at 6.46am. The age groupers are underway at 7am.
The elite men are now around 20 minutes from starting. Good luck to everyone @IMNZ #IMNZ
Some intriguing questions to be answered today. Can the incomparable Cameron Brown claim an 11th IRONMAN NZ victory? Can Meredith Kessler become the most successful international in the history of the women's race by winning her fourth IRONMAN NZ crown?
Kessler-Crawford has been the one-two finishing order for the elite women's race for the past two editions and the pair are repeating that order in the very early stages of this year's IRONMAN NZ.
Age group competitors have now began their @IMNZ quest #IMNZ
Age group competitors have now began their @IMNZ quest #IMNZ
After 20 minutes of the swim, Dylan McNeice and Graham O'Grady hold an 80m lead from Terenzo Bozzone.
Meredith Kessler holds a 30m lead at the head of the women's elite race.
Reports that McNeice heads a three-strong group. With Yoder some 50m back and then a group including ten-time former winner Cameron Brown a further 50m adrift.
Interesting fact; Three ex-international rowers in the elite field; Aussie Todd Skipworth, Brit Joel Jameson and Kiwi Melanie Burke.
The elite men will now have a little under ten minutes of swimming remaining before first transition.
The lead group of three in the swim have now opened up a gap of between 150m and 200m and the chasing group which includes Terenzo Bozzone.
The elite men and women will now be switching their mental focus to enjoying hopefully a smooth first transition.
We believe the first three out of the water are McNeice, O'Grady and Todd Skipworth.
Just waiting on those official splits to come through on the swim. Hope to have them to you very soon.
Meredith Kessler is first out of the water in the elite women's race.
@dylanmcneice posted a record time @IMNZ for the swim of 44:25 - breaking Brent Foster's 2004 time of 44:47 #IMNZ
Two seconds behind McNeice was Graham O'Grady with Todd Skipworth a further three seconds back. The three leaders all ducked below the previous course record time for the swim.
Terenzo Bozzone was next out of the swim 2:37 back on McNeice one second clear of fifth placed James Cotter.
@ChuckiBrown emerged out of Lake Taupo into first transition in eighth some 5:35 back on @dylanmcneice
In the women's race @mbkessler clocks a swim time of 49:35 to lead @Gina_Crawford by 1:48.
Down in third in the swim is Jocelyn McCauley 9:10 down on Kessler.
Early reports at 10km in the bike; O'Grady and Skipworth are together at the head of affairs and have opened up a 55 second gap on Dylan McNeice.
Bozzone at 10km on the bike is some 3:03 down on the lead duo in fourth with James Cotter fifth 3:15 down on the leaders.
Kessler's swim time this year was 2:49 down on the time she recorded for first leg en route to the course record she set 12 months ago.
Aussie Alex Reithmeier is up to sixth 3:25 down on the leader. Kiwi James Cotter is 3:29 down in seventh. James Bowstead is almost six minutes behind O'Grady in eighth.
The excitement will be building for the locals that O'Grady from nearby Kinloch is leading the race.