IRONMAN Western Australia

3rd & 7 37yd

The famous Busselton Jetty just after sunrise. Photo Credit - Korupt Vision
Lengendairy IRONKIDS Busselton 2014
Legendairy IRONKIDS Busselton. Say hello to our starter 'Rosemary'.
Legendairy IRONKIDS Busselton
Legendairy IRONKIDS Busselton
Age Grouper competitors, nearly 2000 of them, are underway at the SunSmart IRONMAN Western Australia.
Clayton Fettell and Dave Dellow are in a three-strong break that has 24 seconds lead at the 1km mark in the men, with 14 swimmers in that second group. Our spotter Toby Coote reports they have the advantage of a tail wind but will turn at the top of the jetty into a fresh 10 knot wind that is building.
Leaders in the swim.
The leading three men have turned at the end of the jetty at the 1.9km mark with Fettell and Dellow in that group. There are five swimmers in the chase 20 seconds back.
The lead women have turned at the top of the jetty with four in the group including Dede Griesbauer and Liz Blatchford with four in the chase group now also gone.
Fantastic scene with age group start.
The winds are up and it is choppy in the swim as the pros face tougher conditions as they round the second turning buoy and make their way back to transition.
Pro men about to come out of the water
@lachevrotine and @claytonfettell first out of the swim at IMWA with six chasers 40 secs back.
Denis Chevrot (FRA) and Clayton Fettell (AUS) on the bike followed at 5 seconds by Patrik Nilsson, Guy Crawford, Romain Guillaume, Joe Gambles, Dave Dellow, Christian Kemp and then back to Per Bittner, Jan van Berkel, Jarmo Hast and Gergo Molnar.
Denis Chevrot of France leads out of the swim.
The leading pro women are 100m from shore.
@Liz_Blatchford and Svetlana Blazevic lead @dedegriesbauer out of the swim at IMWA.
Leading Male Pros Out of the Water
1 Denis CHEVROT (#16) 0:46:22
2 Clayton FETTELL (#18) 0:46:28 +00:06
3 Christian KEMP (#8) 0:46:55 +00:33
4 Guy CRAWFORD (#17) 0:46:58 +00:36
5 Patrik NILSSON (#4) 0:47:03 +00:41
6 Joe GAMBLES (#3) 0:47:04 +00:42
7 Romain GUILLAUME (#2) 0:47:06 +00:44
8 David DELLOW (#1) 0:47:20 +00:58
9 Per BITTNER (#13) 0:48:35 +02:13
10 Jan VAN BERKEL (#30) 0:48:42 +02:20
Leading Female Pros Out of the Water
1 Lisa DELAURENTIS (#498) 0:49:52
2 Lauren PARKER (#274) 0:52:07 +02:15
3 Liz BLATCHFORD (#42) 0:52:12 +02:20
4 Svetlana BLAZEVIC (#52) 0:52:13 +02:21
5 Dede GRIESBAUER (#60) 0:52:20 +02:27
6 Bree WEE (#44) 0:53:33 +03:40
7 Lisa MARANGON (#49) 0:54:44 +04:52
8 Kate BEVILAQUA (#51) 0:55:13 +05:21
9 Keiko TANAKA (#68) 0:56:30 +06:38
10 Katy DUFFIELD (#55) 0:56:34 +06:42
Liz Blatchford on the bike.
At 28kms @claytonfettell leads by 1:12 over pack Chevrot, Gambles, Crawford, Guillaume, Nilsson, Dellow, Kemp.
Our spotter Toby Coote says the winds are freshening and will be a factor. While Clayton Fettell puts down the pressure on the front through 30kms on the bike, he believes Christian Kemp looked strongest of the chasers.
Joe Gambles is out of the water and onto the bike leg. We chatted to him before the race, here's what he had to say.
SunSmart IRONMAN Western Australia Inside Scoop With Joe Gambles
SoundCloudSunSmart IRONMAN Western Australia Inside Scoop With Joe Gambles
Santa is on the course.
Yvonne Van Vlerken is on the bike, let's see if she can do what she told us Friday. "I will crush the bike." Listen to our full interview here.
SunSmart IRONMAN Western Australia Inside Scoop with Yvonne Van Vlerken
SoundCloudSunSmart IRONMAN Western Australia Inside Scoop with Yvonne Van Vlerken
And crush it Yvonne van Vlerken will need to do - at the 28km mark she is still 5:15 down on the leader Liz Blatchford.
Pre-race favourite @yvonnevvlerken still 5:15 down on leader @Liz_Blatchford through 28kms. @breesywee second at 1:40 from @DianaRiesler 2:05 and @lizlylestri at 3.10.
Women through 28kms is Liz Blatchford, Bree Wee at 1:40, Diana Riesler at 2:05, Liz Lyles at 3.10, Svetlana Blazevic at 3.15, Kate Bevilaqua at 5.15, Lisa Marangon at 3.45, Mareen Hufe at 3.50, Britta Martin at 4.30 and Yvonne Van Vlerken at 5.15.
Men through 44kms sees Clayton Fettell leading from Joe Gambles at 1.19 leading the pack including Romain Guillaume, Dave Dellow, Guy Crawford, Patrik Nilsson, Christian Kemp and Denis Chevrot.
@Claytonfettell has seen his lead back to one minute from the seven-strong chase pack led by @joegambles.nearing the 50km mark.
American Dede Griesbauer is out of the race with a mechanical issue on the bike. Pre race she was dealing with a chest infection, and has had some issues with her bike this week.
@Liz_Blatchford through 44kms but her lead is only 45 seconds from @DianaRiesler with @Breesywee at 1.13.
Through 44kms in the women's race Liz Blatchford with the lead now 45 seconds to Diana Riesler, Bree Wee at 1.13, Liz Lyles at 2.04, Mareen Hufe at 2.18, Britta Martin at 4.02, Kae Bevilaqua at 4.05 from Svetlana Blazevic, Lisa Marangon.
Watch out for the flying three-time IRONMAN Florida winner @yvonnevvlerken - she is now at 4.20 back from leader @Liz_Blatchford
The men are through 61kms with Clayton Fettell pushing his lead back out to 2:06 from the chase pack that is now 10-strong with Per Bittner, Jan van Berkel joining the bunch.
Identical twins Glenn and Darren Peisch were in the middle of our mass start, swimmers everywhere, but they only had eyes for each other. They are both out of the water and Glenn has a three minute lead.
Twins Target Busselton Battle
IRONMAN.comTwins have a unique relationship – often competitive and always close in whatever they do.
Clayton Fettell leading the pack on the bike.
The flying Yvonne van Vlerken on the charge.
Halfway through the run and Patrik Nilsson is eating into the lead of Denis Chevrot - now down to 3:15 at the 22km mark. The Euros are dominating with Per Bittner at 3:44.Where are the Australian challengers?
The women's race is hotting up at the 12km mark Maureen Hufe's lead is now 4:30 from Yvonne van Vlerken with the best runner in the race right now, the 2012 winner Britta Martin third at 5:23 and Liz Blatchford at 6.11.
It's the end of the day for defending champion Liz Lyles, she's just pulled out.
Jason Shortis on he run.
@lachevrotine is through 27kms now and still looking quite strong. His lead is down to 3:31 from Patrik Nilsson and Per Bittner @pEpEbit at 5.10 #IMWA
Britta Martin, the 2012 winner, is on the charge, up to 2nd at 17.2km and 3:33 behind leader Mareen Hufe. #IMWA