Good morning and welcome to the second Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship here in the beautiful (usually sunny) Laguna Phuket, Thailand. Yesterday afternoon the heavens opened and heavy rain fell throughout the late afternoon into the early evening at the carbo party.
The rain has certainly cooled things down here in Phuket and we are looking for a break in the clouds and some blue sky to replace the rain clouds tomorrow morning.
There are 1117 athletes ready to take on this Championship course and they will definitely be making sure their bike chains are re-lubed when they get to transition. The course here in Phuket is tough enough and already provides plenty to think about and the heavy rain last night has thrown some additional twists for the athletes to think about.
The forecast tomorrow predicts scattered showers and a high of 87 and we will have more updates as we go live from 06:00am +7 GMT on Sunday. The race itself will start at 06:30.
Regardless of what games the weather Gods play - it is going to be one hotly contested race at the top of the field amongst the pros with Michael Raelert and Melissa Rollison the favourites and then a long pedigree of age groupers from 58 countries looking for one of the converted 30 Kona slots or 45 Vegas slots.
We will be back with more in just a few hours from now.
We are 20 minutes away from the start here at the 2nd Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship and we are hoping and praying the rain stays away. It is cool and calm out there at the moment.
With the absence of the 2010 champions at the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship this year we can be assured that a new male and female champion shall be crowned today. What we cannot be certain of who is going to be wearing the crown and receiving their award on stage Sunday night at the year ending Black Tie and Board Shorts Party.
The parties at Laguna Phuket are just as legendary as the races themselves but before the athletes can take their foot off the gas for the final time this year they will be going all out in what is one of the toughest and most sensational 70.3 races on the circuit.
The press conference yesterday was broadcast live on 91.5 FM Island Radio. We heard from 2009 and 2010 70.3 World Champion, Michael Raelert, 2011 European Ironman Champion and 2005 Ironman World Champion, Faris Al-Sultan, 2011 Ironman 70.3 World Champion runner up, Chris Lieto and current Ironman 70.3 World Champion, Melissa Rollison.
It is Raelert’s first time in Laguna Phuket and he has spent the past 6 weeks “training and focusing on this year end race”. Mentally prepared and physically ready Raelert arrived at the Banyan Tree, Phuket on Tuesday and then seemed to forget what he was here for.
“Right now I have to think about the race again as when I got here I fell in love, the weather, countryside and the people, it’s gorgeous. And now it is time to focus again. I feel this is one of the best races in the world and am also looking forward to Sunday afternoon when I can have a little holiday.”
Faris Al-Sultan was last in Phuket back in 2007 when he raced LPT. He offered up the following ‘useful’ advice to his fellow countrymen “I told him (Michael) to go slower during the race so I can show him the beautiful aspects of this race.”
It is Lieto’s first time in Laguna Phuket too. Here with his wife it is a destination he admits he has been wanting to race at for many years. “It’s been an amazing time here, I rode the bikes course a few days ago and I love it.”
The hills are something on every athlete’s mind this morning, especially considering the heavy rain that the island has seen over the past couple of days. Lieto offered up the following advice. “It’s a very technical course and having some knowledge is very good to have. You are not going to gain anything on those downhill’s, so go as safe as you can and then go as hard as you can uphill. You can then recover on the descents!”
Rollinson raced her second ever 70.3 distance last year at Phuket and was runner up. With Steffen not on the start line and being the current 70.3 world champion, Rollinson is clearly the favourite. Unbeaten this year at the 70.3 distance she is fitter and faster. “I was really looking forward to racing Caroline (Steffen) but it is a very tough course and there is still some very tough competition out there.” In transition this morning she had 3 words to say: “Stay Away Rain.”
There is a stellar field of pro’s racing and some other names to watch out for include 2011 winner of 70.3 Mallorca, 70.3 UK and 70.3 Augusta, Emma Kate Lidbury. Amanda Stevens is coming off a strong showing at IM Arizona two weeks ago. Regulars racing the Asian circuit, Michelle Wu and 3rd place last year, Belinda Granger is both very familiar with the Phuket conditions. And of course you can never discount a 6-time World Ironman world champion. Natascha Badmann now 44 will be on the start line and looking to have a strong outing.
In the men’s field anything can happen. While Raelert is the obvious favourite this course could present a surprise. David Dellow recent winner of Noosa triathlon, Matt Reed, a strong short course athlete who could sneak in and last weeks winner of LPT, Massimo Cigana is very much a peoples favourite and loves racing in Thailand. He mentioned to me last night at the Meet the Pro’s Cocktails about a little niggle in the Achilles but is confident on his biking skills over this course and will be looking to challenge for that top step.
And finally, some local flavour; Thailand’s number one triathlete Jaray ‘Ray’ Jearanai will be racing tomorrow in his 2nd Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship and looking to post a big PB. He mentioned 4:50 and then confidently moved it to 4:40. The Jurgen Zack coached athlete trains at the World Class Thanyapura Sports and Leisure club and has had a whirlwind year that saw him become the first Thai to participate in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas AND the Ironman World Championship in Kona in the same year.
Fully sponsored by Laguna Phuket and Thanyapura, Ray has become a remarkable role model for the sport in Thailand and we wish him the very best of luck!
Some Stats for the day:
1117 athletes
58 Countries represented
Australia leads the field with 150 athletes
Great Britain 127
Japan 102
USA 85
France 60
129 athletes “Doing the LPT-70.3 double”
Eldest:
#960 Mieko Ishijima 62 F JPN
#812 Hiromu Inada 79 M JPN
Youngest:
#813 Clair Ann Rockliff 22 F AUS
#61 Terrence Tan 20 M SIN
Seven athletes have chosen to celebrate their birthday by racing here today.
#134 Blake Carter AUS
#153 Grant Gibson USA
#184 Michiciro Mogi THA
#616 Andrew Gunn GBR
#758 Ivan Whittle AUS
#946 Minako Hara JPN
#954 Nicole Wu Tiu Yen FRA
We are 5 minutes away from the start, the sun is trying to peak through under a scattering of low cloud. The weather forecast says rain. We are hoping it holds off and stays well away!
Look out for Chris Lieto to lead the men out the swim and Amanda Stevens we predict will exit first for the ladies.
The pros are away and we have four waves following behind. This is a two body swim. We will have information on the leading pros as they enter the lagoon.
The water this morning was reported to be flat and calm. Coming out of the buoyancy of the ocean and into the still lagoon for the final 680 metres of swimming can be a shock to the system. Once out of the lagoon the athletes will head into T1 and out onto the bike course that will test the mettle of the very best athletes out there today.
From inside the expo I can hear the chopper overhead which can only mean one thing the pros are in the lagoon and heading towards T1.
As predicted I am hearing that Chris Lieto of the USA and Amanda Stevens USA lead out of the water.
Strike that comment. Some miscommunication...the leading top 10 males out of the water are:
1 29 Daniel Halksworth M 1 Pro GBR 00:23:33
2 1 Michael Raelert M 1 Pro GER 00:23:34
3 7 Matt Reed M 1 Pro USA 00:23:37
4 15 David Dellow M 1 Pro AUS 00:23:38
5 14 Paul Matthews M 1 Pro AUS 00:23:39
6 3 Faris Al-Sultan M 1 Pro GER 00:23:53
7 6 Richie Cunningham M 1 Pro AUS 00:23:55
8 30 Joshua McHugh M 1 Pro AUS 00:24:06
9 11 Timothy James Reed M 1 Pro AUS 00:24:08
10 10 Paul Ambrose M 1 Pro AUS 00:24:12
Amanda Stevens out the water 11th overall
11 36 Amanda Stevens F 1 Pro USA 00:24:12
Top 10 female out of the water:
36 Amanda Stevens F 1 Pro USA 00:24:12
46 Ruth Nivon Machoud F 1 Pro SUI 00:25:51
34 Radka Vodickova F 1 Pro CZE 00:26:13
48 Emma-Kate Lidbury F 1 Pro GBR 00:26:47
32 Belinda Granger F 1 Pro AUS 00:27:29
31 Melissa Rollison F 1 Pro AUS 00:27:32
42 Janine Sax F 1 Pro NZL 00:27:53
35 Michelle Wu F 1 Pro AUS 00:28:00
40 Katja Rabe F 1 Pro GER 00:28:16
37 Edith Niederfriniger F 1 Pro ITA 00:28:28
Out on the bike at the 10 km point we have David Dellows of Australia leading.
Behind him 14. Paul Matthews AUS, 1. Michael Raelert GER, 7. Matt Reed USA and then 10 seconds back 6. Richie Cunningham AUS
The first section of this bike course here takes the athletes through the rural villages towards Thalang where they will have to dismount and cross a pedestrian bridge.
Amanda 'Doc' Stevens has a super lead here she has a 2min 40sec lead at the 10 km marker.
Chasing the Doc is 31. Melissa Rollison AUS who has swiftly moved her way up the field. We then have: 48. Emma Kate-Lidbury GBR, 34. Radka Vodickova CZE and 46. Ruth Nivon Machoud SUI
I have just heard reports that 25. Jose Estrangeiro POR looks to have some bike issues and potentially a flat tire.
We hope it is not the case but the weather over the past few days could mean a fair few mechanicals today. Only time will tell.
The first age grouper out onto the bike course today:
110 Jonathan Tryoen M 25-29 FRA 00:26:45
20 km into the bike and Michael Raelert has moved into the lead. Riding by his side is 15 David Dellows
10. Paul Ambrose AUS is a further 10 seconds back and then we have 7. Matt Reed USA, 14. Paul Matthews AUS and 30. Joshua McHugh AUS
We have just heard that 2. Chris Lieto USA crashed around the 20 km mark. The good news is, he is back on the bike and reports tell me it is just a little road rash.
6. Richie Cunningham AUS is currently in 5th place in the leading men. We somehow missed the Aussie earlier on.
Reigning Ironman 70.3 World Champion Melissa Rollison is wasting no time catching up. She is now 1 min 40 sec behind 36 Amanda Stevens.
48. Emma Kate-Lidbury GBR is 43 seconds back, 32. Belinda Granger AUS is starting to make a move and is 44 seconds back and then we a trio of girls 34. Radka Vodickova CZE, 33. Natascha Badmann SUI, 35. Michelle Wu AUS at 32 seconds back
Leading men at 30 km's:
14. Paul Matthews AUS
10. Paul Ambrose AUS
11. Timothy James Reed AUS
15. David Dellows AUS
1. Michael Raelert GER
7. Matt Reed USA
30. Joshua McHugh AUS
This just in from our chief draft Marshall, Jurgen Zack: the first red card of the day has been handed to 22. Peter Schokman AUS. That means a 4 min penalty in the box when he finishes the bike.
We also have reports that chief draft marshall Jurgen Zack had a little crash himself out there on the course. But he is A- OK and back on the bike keeping an eye on any offenders.
Just popped outside to check the weather as the day progresses here. It must be one of the coolest races on record today. A lot of low cloud coverage will provide perfect conditions for the run. And the chance of rain is lessening by the hour.
Having said that...the bike course is still going to be slippery in the sheltered areas. The course here has a couple of yellow flag areas where athletes have to reduce speed to less than 20 kph for safety.
We hear that last weeks winner of the LPT 5. Massimo Cigana ITA is moving through the field and looking good.
First casualty of the day we have just heard that 2. Chris Lieto USA has decided to pull out before the first climb. He riding back and taking a short cut so he will be ahead of the field but not in the race.
Melissa Rollison has just taken the lead from Amanda Stevens!
Top 10 men at 45 km:
1 10 Paul Ambrose M 1 Pro AUS 01:30:13
2 6 Richie Cunningham M 1 Pro AUS 01:30:15
3 14 Paul Matthews M 1 Pro AUS 01:30:17
4 1 Michael Raelert M 1 Pro GER 01:30:18
5 11 Timothy James Reed M 1 Pro AUS 01:30:19
6 30 Joshua McHugh M 1 Pro AUS 01:30:19
7 15 David Dellow M 1 Pro AUS 01:30:20
8 7 Matt Reed M 1 Pro USA 01:30:21
9 4 Christopher Legh M 1 Pro AUS 01:33:24
10 9 Alessandro Degasperi M 1 Pro ITA 01:33:38
This just in we hear that top 8 guys are riding rather too close together and are just about to get a warning from Jurgen Zack!
At 50 km on the bike we have:
10. Paul Ambrose AUS
14. Paul Matthews AUS
6. Richie Cunningham AUS
1. Michael Raelert GER
15. David Dellows AUS
11. Timothy James Reed AUS
30. Joshua McHugh AUS
7. Matt Reed USA
15th overall, he was the first AG out the swim and he continues to be the first AG on the bike. 110 Jonathan Tryoen M 25-29 FRA 01:35:48
We are now at 60 km on the bike for the men.
11. Timothy James Reed AUS
10. Paul Ambrose AUS
14. Paul Matthews AUS
1. Michael Raelert GER
6. Richie Cunningham AUS
15. David Dellows AUS
7. Matt Reed USA
30. Joshua McHugh AUS
At the 50 km marker for the ladies: 31. Melissa Rollison AUS is maintaining her lead.
the chasing three are:
33. Natascha Badmann SUI by 59 seconds
36. Amanda Stevens USA by 56 seconds
32. Belinda Granger AUS by 1 minute
