Soggy start to 26th Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia
Welcome to the 26th Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia - the sixth time it has been based in the New South Wales coastal city of Port Macquarie.
It’s an historic occasion for one of the world’s oldest established International Ironman events. And the first time organisers have run the Ironman Australia event and the Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie on the same course on the same day.
It’s a format that has been run in China but the first time in a major Ironman event with more than 1000 in the Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia and 500 in the Urban Hotel Group Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie.
Race organisers have their fingers crossed after some constant rain in the region over the last few days. Rain is predicted today although it is currently sunny and warm with overcast conditions predicted for race day tomorrow (Sunday).
However the wet weather has taken its toll already with some of the downtown race site very soggy. Worst hit is the Oxley Oval where the Function Marquee has been erected for the Pre-Race Dinner and Pre-Race Briefing – but is under water ruling it out as the venue.
After some hasty changes the function was split between two separate locations with food and refreshments in the recovery marquee at the race finish and briefing at the nearby Glasshouse Theatre.
It was staged in three separate sessions with 500 athletes at a time because of the restrictions in numbers in the superb Glasshouse Theatre, which proved a magnificent venue.
Racing on Sunday for Ironman Australia starts at 6.30am with professionals given a slight head-start ahead of the pack, with Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie due to start at 9.30am.

Steffen eyes “second home” win in Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia
Switzerland’s Caroline Steffen is the hottest of favourites to claim a breakthrough victory in Sunday’s Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia at Port Macquarie.
Ironically it will be virtually a hometown win for the 32 year old Swiss athlete who lives most of the time on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
Steffen was arguably the most improved female athlete on the globe in 2010 which was her first full year as an elite professional.
The former elite swimmer and professional cyclist was runner-up to Mirinda Carfrae at the Ford Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. Her stellar 2010 season included victories in the Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships in Phuket, the ITU Long Distance World title in China, runner up in both Ironman Europe and Ironman South Africa and 70.3 wins in Switzerland, Singapore and Geelong.
“I didn’t have a rest after Hawaii so I have a bit of a break after Phuket and started a little later in the season. I raced Abu Dhabi where I was not 100 per cent fit but I did it to see where I was and how my training was. And it was a chance to get some money in the bank.
“I feel quite fit. After such a good year last year it gives me quite a bit more confidence this year because I know what I can do. I didn’t change anything in training because I am still improving so there’s no need to change anything.
“It’s good and I am happy where I am at and excited about the race on Sunday and the rest of the year. Australia is my second home and I live most of the time here. I raced Port Macquarie which was not such a good day for me but I am happy to be back again.”
Steffen’s main competition is likely to come from Australians Amelia Pearson, Nicole Ward and Kirsten Molloy.

Kane hopes he is able
Kane Towns has big boots to fill in Sunday’s Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia.
The Penrith crane driver steps into the shoes of his legendary father Ched Towns to take up the Ironman challenge at Port Macquarie for the first time.
Ched Towns was a blind athlete who became an iconic figure at ironman Australia, competing many times when the race was staged in Forster-Tuncurry and also completed the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.
He trekked the famed 100km Kokoda Trail in New Guinea, paddled a kayak from Australia to New Guinea and rode a mountain bike across the Simpson Desert in the Northern Territory, which spans 176,500 sq kms. He also sky diving and was a Paralympian for Australia.
Ched tragically died during a climbing expedition in Himalaya just over 10 years ago.
His son Kane decided to take up the challenge in honour of his father. As a fulltime crane driver who starts at 4am, he has had to squeeze training around his work, but will be supported in Port Macquarie by his mother, wife Kristie and children Cooper and Carter.
“I remember as a young fella going to Forster and sitting at Panther Corner and cheering all the athletes home,” said Towns. “Now it’s come round and it’s my turn.
“I’ve put the training in but I don’t really know what to expect. But I am excited. Pumped.
“My ultimate goal is to hear you (Mike Reilly) call my name out down that finish chute.”
When Reilly replied that he hoped that he was not in the toilet at the time, Towns replied.
“Well I’m not going to do another lap.”

Ironman 70.3 draws even fields
Sunday’s Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie is shaping up as an open race in both the men’s and women’s battles on Sunday.
It’s the first time that the 70.3 event has been staged on the same day as Ironman Australia, with the 70.3 contenders stepping into the waters in Hastings River three hours after the Ironman participants.
Leading Australian hope is local Port Macquarie star Tim Berkel who hopes to bounce back after withdrawing with cramp on the run at the recent Abu Dhabi long distance race. He enjoyed three podiums in 70.3 races last year with second place at Rhode Island and third at Boise and at home in Geelong.
“This wasn’t my first choice. I had hoped to race Iironman Australia which would have been my fifth start,” Berkel said. “Hopefully I will be back at Ironman next year. I love racing here at home. The support I get is crazy.”
The leading 70.3 athletes will come out of the water approximately 25 minutes after the leading Ironman athletes turn after the first lap on the bike.
“I don’t think we will conflict too much with the Ironman guys and hopefully we should have the roads pretty much to ourselves.
“We have the 12m rule as well and I would expect some of the strong riders like Cam Brown to make their mark. I am pretty happy where my training is at and happy with my biking and my running.”
Brown, the 10 time winner of Ironman New Zealand, will be the logical favourite although there will be plenty of fans for South Australia’s Matthew White and Tasman’s Joe Gambles.
The women’s field is also open although former Ironman Australia winner Rebekah Keat withdrew this week after being knocked off her bike by a vehicle recently.
Belinda Granger, at 40, will still be a leading contender. The five-time Ironman winner was inducted into the Australia Hall of Fame last year.
“I won’t say I am retiring but I am very close to retirement. Mind you I’ve been saying that for the last three years, “Granger said. “If my body would allow me to do Ironman I would but I just raced ironman South Africa three weeks ago, so backing up was not really on.
“But I was so excited when I was told that the 70.3 was on because it has given me a chance to be part of it.”
Seven-time Ironman New Zealand champion Jo Lawn will prove a major obstacle and anyone with serious podium credentials will need to get past both Granger and Lawn.
Re-born kiwi triathlete Anna Cleaver is likely to lead the way out of the water, while there are other strong contenders in Queensland’s Carrie Lester, Singapore 70.3 podium finisher Michelle Wu, Melbourne’s Madeleine Oldfield, fifth in Alcatraz last year, and kiwi Michelle Bremer, who is a strong rider.

Vernay eyes No 5, Steffen looks for breakthrough
New Caledonia’s Patrick Vernay will chase an unprecedented fifth straight title at the Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia at Port Macquarie tomorrow.
With two-time world champion Craig Alexander officially announcing his withdrawal yesterday because of illness, the spotlight goes back on the likeable 37 year old. The Frenchman has enjoyed outstanding success in Australia with four Ironman Australia wins along with two at Ironman Western Australia.
Vernay is back on familiar grounds at Port Macquarie in what is likely to be a closely fought battle with Australians Courtney Ogden and Pete Jacobs.
“This is like my second home. Or course it is not very far away from my home and everyone here has treated me so well when I have won this race. I have won it since 2007 here but I think it will be much more difficult this year with some of the great champions racing,” Vernay said.
“I have prepared well and if I win four, then why not five?”
Vernay said he was disappointed that Alexander was not in the field.
“I like to compete against the best. I would rather come second behind a great champion like Craig than win without him there.”
In recent years Vernay has focussed on the two Australian Ironman races, as well as Hawaii where he managed a career best sixth placing in 2008. He has achieved this off the back of solid efforts in the swim and bike with a strong effort on the run where he has regularly gone under 2hr 50min for the marathon.
Ogden, 38, comes off the back of an outstanding 2010 season capped off with a breakthrough victory in Ironman Western Australia, second at Coure d’Alene and fourth at the Port last year.
“I always thought I had the ability to win one, “said Ogden. “But now it’s business as usual. What I did last year does not have much bearing on what I do this year.
“I’ve been working hard and put the training in and hopefully I will win another one. Sunday would be nice but there’s some great competition.
“I have a formula that works so I have not changed that for this race. It works for me and gives me the opportunity to gauge my fitness before a race compared with previous.”
Jacobs is a three time ironman runner-up and is hoping a foot injury will not prevent his maiden win on Sunday.
Jacobs is no longer just a great swimmer, with his incredible 2:41 marathon in Kona – the third fastest behind Dave Scott and mark Allen – was testament to his improvement.
“I expect to have a strong swim and bike and hopefully I can jog it around in the run and not hurt myself too bad. I feel well rested and I think it will hold out for the run. I don’t think it will stop me running but might cause me a bit of pain and discomfort.”
The 29 year old was hoping that win would come with Alexander in the race.
“I was imaging that we could get off the bike together, run side by side for a bit and duke it out in the last 10kms. It would have been great TV. It will still be a great race. It will be a fast swim-bike and will make for an exciting and fast run.”
The pace is expected to be fast, with Alexander predicting that a time close to eight hours is possible on the revamped course at Port Macquarie.
Canada’s Scotty Curry, who led off the bike at ironman New Zealand, is again likely to be a pacesetter while there are a number of more than handy ironman athletes including Scott Neyedli and the evergreen Jason Shortis likely to be in the mix.
Australian-based Swiss triathlete Caroline Steffen is the hottest of favourites in a small women’s field, as she aims to build on her spectacular rookie pro season in 2010.
The former elite swimmer and professional cyclist, who lives much of the year on the Sunshine Coast, runner-up to Mirinda Carfrae at the Ford Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. Her stellar 2010 season included victories in the Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships in Phuket, the ITU Long Distance World title in China, runner up in both Ironman Europe and Ironman South Africa and 70.3 wins in Switzerland, Singapore and Geelong.
“It’s good and I am happy where I am at and excited about the race on Sunday and the rest of the year. Australia is my second home and I live most of the time here. I raced Port Macquarie which was not such a good day for me but I am happy to be back again.”
Steffen’s main competition is likely to come from Australians Amelia Pearson, Nicole Ward and Kirsten Molloy.

After more than our share of rain this week, today is forecast to be overcast with the possibility of a few showers. At present daylight is breaking here at Port Macquarie - there's no wind and athletes are making their way to the swim in Hastings River. It's a two lap swim for the Ironman Australia participatns. Remember, for the first time, there is a 70.3 Ironman Port Macquarie race also on today. It starts at 9.30am local time - three hours after Ironman.

We are standing by and now int he countdown to the start of the Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia here in Port Macquarie. We will be covering both the Ironman Australian and Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie here today. Two minutes now to race start ...

IRONMAN: Australian Pete Jacobs has already opened a 20m lead just four minutes into the swim. He leads the professional pack from Scott Neyedli, Canada's Scott Curry, Adam Holbrow and Ironman Western Australia winner Courtney Ogden. The professionals at a 50m head start on the age groupers today.

IRONMAN: Steffen and Kirsten Molloy are at the head of the women's swim group. Defending champion Patrick Vernay now leading the swim as they go around the turn buoy for the first time. He heads the pack from Scott Neyedli, Adam Holborow, and Chris Dmitrieff. Also two age groupers up with the leading professionals already - Penrith's Leigh Chapman (30-34 yrs) and Chris Mumme from Wagga Wagge (25-29yrs).

IRONMAN: Some mis-communication off the water - it is in fact Pete Jacobs who is leading the swim. He has the 150m lead over the chase pack which is led by Patrick Vernay. Sorry about that - sometimes hard to pick up numbers in the water.

IRONMAN: Leader Pete Jacobs is around the final turn buoy and on his way back to complete the 3.8km swim. Pete said he would go hard on the swim and bike - so he is keeping to his word right now. But can he get under the swim record of 44:32?

IRONMAN: Pete Jacobs is out of the water at the head of the swim - he is just outside the swim race record but with a healthy lead at present.

IRONMAN: The day is turning into super conditions - right now clear and warm with a light but helpful south-easterly breeze.

IRONMAN: We still believe Amelia Pearson is in the lead in the women's race - she has slipped through the 10km mark withoiut notice but confirming Caroline Steffen is next with a 3m advantage over Kirsten Molloy. Conditions now superb.

IRONMAN: 20km: Super hot favourite Caroline Steffen has hit the lead in the women's race. Through the 20km mark she now has a 30sec lead over Amelia Pearson. Steffen is 6m20s behind the men's leader.

SWIM:
Top 10 Women --- 1. Amelia Pearson - 0:49:46
2. Caroline Steffen - 0:50:35
3. Kirsten Molloy - 0:51:27
4. Nicole Ward - 0:54:05
5. Cassandra Percival - 0:55:12
6. Tarryn Whitmore - 0:55:57
7. Alicia Symonds - 0:56:19
8. Jessica Simpson - 0:56:31
9. Anna Francis - 0:56:35
10. Jessica Lawson - 0:56:44

IRONMAN: 30km The wind is picking out ont he bike course now - and it's a slight headwind at this stage. The women's leader Caroline Steffen is through and now has opened up a lead of 3:45 to Amelia Pearson with 10m now back to third placed Kirsten Molloy.

IRONMAN: 50km: The rabbit at the lead of the field is certainly no bunny as Pete Jacobs has reasserted himself. Jacobs is back out to 2m50s lead over the trio of four-time winner patrick Vernay, Adam Holborow and Mitch Anderson with Courtney Ogden at 4m30s. Our spotters say that Jacobs is looking extremely strong but also that Vernay is looking well in control. He knows well what it takes to win here at the Port.

IRONMAN: 60km: Pete Jacobs is pushing hard on the bike. His lkead is now 3m27s so he has taken nearly 40 seconds out of the chase group in the last 10kms. The trio of Holborow, Vernay and leading age grouper Anderson remain together at 3:27. Courtney Ogden is fourth at 4.20. Our spotters report that the wind has really picked up on the bike and it is at their backs as they fly back towards Port Macquarie on their first lap.

IRONMAN 60km: Watch out for the Hot Curry. Just like he did at Ironman New Zealand last month. Canadian Scott Curry is on the move and now up to sixth place 7m behind the leaders. he is followed by Scott Neyedli at 8:40 and then at 10m behind is a group including Luke Whitmore, Pablo Safrana, Sean Brunt, Chris Dmitrieff, Rob Hurley, Nathan Stewart and Jason Shortis.

IRONMAN 70KM: Pete Jacobs is flying on the way back on lap one and is through the 70km mark now with his lead at 3:10 now from the trio of Anderson, Vernay and Holborow. Courtney Ogden is fifth place at 5:10 with Scott Curry pushing hard in sixth at 5:35.

70.3: The 70.3 race start time has been put back 15 min. It will now start at 9.45 local time in 25 minutes.