IRONMAN Australia

3rd & 7 37yd

Welcome to the historic 30th Anniversary of the Toyota IRONMAN Australia at Port Macquarie.

Around 1800 athletes to take part in the race on Sunday which doubles as the official Australian Club Championship, while many have arrived here to celebrate the world’s fourth oldest IRONMAN event.

We will have full coverage of the race right here on Sunday. Over the past two weeks we have highlighted some of the great moments and some of the remarkable people who will be on the start line on Sunday.

Click on the link below and check out some of the stories that have come out of this great event including pros, legends and age group athletes who will be toeing the start line on Sunday:

http://ap.ironman.com/…/events/…/ironman/australia/news.aspx
IRONMAN.com
IRONMAN.com Event Director Update Adam Renn Athlete Official Welcome Function, Friday 1 May 2015 2015 Toyota IRONMAN Australia, Port Macquarie Race Director Update - Fri 1 May, 2015
All Athletes please see Event Director's Race Update for Saturday and Sunday Bike Check-in and weather update in the link below.
Event Directors Race Update - Friday 1 May, 2015
Jenny Matthews, IRONMAN widow to IRONMAN
From IRONMAN widow to IRONMAN
Jenny Matthews was once what the IRONMAN family affectionately referred to as an IRONMAN widow.
She followed her husband Glenn around the Toyota IRONMAN Australia course with the couple’s two boys in tow, 12 times. Ask any partner of an IRONMAN and that challenge can be tougher than actually competing.
Now, after making her debut at the races 2013 edition, she’s all set for her third IRONMAN in a row.
At the 30th anniversary of IRONMAN Australia the 53-year-old from Sun Valley in NSW will be competing alongside her husband.
“My husband Glenn, was the instigator for me competing in my first IRONMAN. He loves the idea that we can be involved in the same sport,” she said. “There has also been an underlying challenge that it couldn't be as bad as childbirth.”
A cycling trip to the French Alps in 2012 was the instigator for Jenny’s move inside the ropes.
“It seemed logical that if I was going to train for cycling in France, I may as well train for the 2013 IRONMAN,” she said.
IRONMAN is a family affair for the Matthews with husband and wife not only racing together; they train side by side as well. It’s now Jenny’s father-in-law’s job to follow them both around the course with their two boys, now aged 19 and 17, in tow.
“Passing the three of them on the day is always uplifting with calls from my father-in-law ...’go you good girl’ and ‘do you know it’s a race?’ from the boys. Regardless of their 'encouraging' cheers, I look forward to seeing their gorgeous smiling faces. My mother thinks we're crazy and I should take up knitting,” she said.
And the IRONMAN bug looks like it’s spreading through the family with eldest son Jack planning to take on his first IRONMAN in 2016.
“He's very enthusiastic for me to race ....because he wants someone out there he can beat,” she said.
Toyota IRONMAN Australia kicks off tomorrow, Jason Shortis is as much a part of the race as anyone. We chatted to him earlier this week to get his thoughts on the race that has been so much a part of his life.
soundcloud.com
We are less than half an hour away from the start of the the 30th anniversary of Toyota IRONMAN Australia. After a few days of almost constant rain here in Port Macquarie, the weather gods seem to be playing nice this morning.
And the women's race is underway.
The age groupers have hit the water. The field is full of inspirational stories, none more so than Alexandra McCaffrey.
Iron Woman Battles the Odds
IRONMAN.comAn MS sufferer is out to prove that anything is possible.
The swim conditions are perfect.
Just short of half way into the swim Luke Bell, Pete Jacobs and Kiwi Graham O'Grady have a 30 second lead over Paul Ambrose, with a group including Peter Robertson 10 seconds back.
At just over half way into the swim Lisa Marangon and Michelle Gailey lead by 55 seconds from Michelle Bremer.
Lisa Marangon is in a great spot early in the swim, after second last year she's desperate to go one better this year. She spoke to IRONMAN.com before the race and had this to say.
Toyota IRONMAN Australia Inside Scoop With Lisa Marangon
SoundCloudToyota IRONMAN Australia Inside Scoop With Lisa Marangon
TOP 10 PRO MEN OUT OF THE WATER
1 Graham O'GRADY (#8) NZL 0:44:55
2 Luke BELL (#3) AUS 0:44:57 +00:02
3 Pete JACOBS (#1) AUS 0:44:58 +00:03
4 Paul AMBROSE (#2) AUS 0:47:33 +02:38
5 Lachlan KERIN (#15) AUS 0:48:20 +03:25
6 Nick BALDWIN (#5) SEY 0:48:23 +03:28
7 Peter ROBERTSON (#4) AUS 0:48:26 +03:31
8 Brian FULLER (#13) AUS 0:48:27 +03:31
9 Carl READ (#9) NZL 0:50:27 +05:32
10 Luke MARTIN (#16) AUS 0:50:29 +05:33
LEADING FEMALES OUT OF THE WATER
1 Lisa MARANGON (#21) AUS 0:51:58
2 Michelle GAILEY (#24) AUS 0:52:53 +00:55
3 Christie SYM (#28) AUS 0:53:00 +01:02
4 Michelle BREMER (#23) NZL 0:53:12 +01:13
5 Caroline GREGORY (#29) USA 0:53:14 +01:16
6 Michelle WU (#26) AUS 0:53:17 +01:19
7 Marie SORRELL (#30) NZL 0:55:51 +03:52
8 Jessica FLEMING (#25) AUS 0:56:25 +04:26
9 Marina JURJEVIC (#31) AUS 1:00:13 +08:15
Early into the bike leg and the three lead men are very cautious on the wet roads. O'Grady, Bell and Jacobs are still leading by 2.20 to Ambrose, with Robertson, Nick Baldwin and Brian Fuller a further 4 minutes back.
At 12km of the women's race Michelle Bremer leads from Lisa Marangon, and Christie Sym with Michelle Gailey in fourth. All four are within 45 seconds of each other and have already built a decent gap to the rest of the field.
Our spotter out on course Toby Coote reports that conditions out on course are perfect, little to no wind.
At the 21km mark of the bike Michelle Bremer is just ahead of Lisa Marangon, with Christie Sym 55sec back. Michelle Gailey is a further 2.10 back in 4th.
Bremer and Marangon in the lead.
No change at the 47km mark for the women, Bremer and Marangon still lead with Sym 1.56 back.
Luke Bell seems to be listening to his own advice, after he rode with Nils Fromhold at the IRONMAN Asia Pacific Championships, he taped the word patience to his top tube for this race. We spoke to him pre-race about his chances.
Toyota IRONMAN Australia Inside Scoop With Luke Bell
SoundCloudToyota IRONMAN Australia Inside Scoop With Luke Bell
At the 76km mark of the bike Luke Bell and Pete Jacobs have dropped Graham O'Grady who is now 5 minutes back. Ambrose is in third 2.40 back. Robertson, Baldwin and Fuller are in 4th, 5th and 6th.
At 71km on the bike Marangon leads by 10 secs to Bremer, Sym is in third 1.35 down but has just received a drafting penalty. Jess Flemming is 1.45 back in 4th.
At the half way point of the bike Jacobs has a lead of just over a minute to Bell in second.
Ambrose is in third 3.03 behind Jacobs and just over two minutes behind Bell.
Our spotter Toby Coote reports that a bit of cloud cover has rolled in and is making it quite humid.
Lisa Marangon has just gone through the half way point of the bike with a 54 second lead over Michelle Bremer. Out spotter reported that Marangon looked comfortable, and strong.
Bremer in second place.
Jacobs over shot the turnaround, it ended up costing him 30 seconds of his lead to Bell.
Jess Fleming has now moved into third she's 3.35 from the lead.
Christie Sym has served her drafting penalty and is now 6.40 behind the leaders.
At 110km Jacobs has extended his lead over Bell to 2.10, Ambrose is now only 20 seconds behind Bell who looks to be going through a bad patch. Robbo and Baldwin are just over 5 minutes behind the leaders.
2012 champion Michelle Gailey is currently in 5th after period of illness and injury she's happy to just be back out there. She spoke to IRONMAN.com pre-race.
Toyota IRONMAN Australia Inside Scoop With Michelle Gailey
SoundCloudToyota IRONMAN Australia Inside Scoop With Michelle Gailey
Age grouper Sean Brunt (whose two sons are racing in the 18-24 age group for the first time) is not only showing his two boys what IRONMAN is all about, he's showing some of the pro men. He's charging on the bike and is in 8th place overall.
At 110km Marangon leads by 1.10 to Bremer with Fleming a further 4 min off the lead.
Bremer in 2nd
Fleming in 3rd.
At 128km Jacobs three minute lead has evaporated, he's now 37 seconds ahead of Ambrose and Bell.
Ambrose and Bell are now 43 seconds ahead of Jacobs at the 135km mark of the bike, Nick Baldwin is in 4th at 3.55 back and Robbo is in 5th 6 minutes back. The three time short course world champion has held the gap at 5 min for most of the bike. As is often the case at IRONMAN Australia it will be all about the run.
Lisa Marangon is crushing the back end of this bike leg, she's hoping to deliver a knockout blow ahead of the run.
Marangon's lead over Bremer at 130km is 2.33, with Fleming in third 4.23 from the lead.
At 145km on the bike Ambrose is leading Bell by 32 seconds, Baldwin in 3rd is 4.36 from the lead, Jacobs is now in 4th 4.56 back. Fuller is in 5th 7.55 from the lead, O'Grady is 6th 9.11 back and Robbo is back in 7th 9.49 back.
Check out today's swim highlights. https://youtu.be/_PbIM3L-qrA