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IRONMAN New Zealand

    Champions all, from left, Gina Crawford, Sam Warriner and Jo Lawn at the Expo. (Photo Darryl Carey)

    Mike Ramsay, who has finished all 30 IRONMAN New Zealand races, ready to tackle No 31.

    Cultural performance at the Welcome Function. (Photo Darryl Carey)

    Terenzo Bozzone, Gina Crawford and Dylan McNeice at the Kids Fun Run. (Photo Darryl Carey)

    SamWarriner warms up the locals before the Kids Fun Run (Photo Darryl Carey)

    The Pro Panel at the public conference. (Photo Darryl Carey)

    Watching in the rain. (Photo Darryl Carey)

    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    Mareen Hufe of Germany has withdrawn through illness from the elite women's race.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

    Dylan McNeice out in new unofficial swim record of 44:25. (Darryl Carey Photo)

    In the women's race @mbkessler clocks a swim time of 49:35 to lead @Gina_Crawford by 1:48.

    Age group start. (Darryl Carey Photo)

    Down in third in the swim is Jocelyn McCauley 9:10 down on Kessler.

    Terenzo Bozzone out of the swim. (Darryl Cary Photo)

    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.

    Todd Skipworth on the bike.

    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.

    Meredith Kessler on the bike.

    Gina Crawford on the bike.

    The excitement will be building for the locals that O'Grady from nearby Kinloch is leading the race.
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