YOURIRONGUIDE’S armchair guide to IMWA - What to look forward
to this year?
IMWA given another 3 year contract
IMWA given another 3 year contract
IMWA is set to continue for another 3 years as the contract has
been extended. Some rumours were floating around that the event could be on
thin ice but this good news came directly from the Ironman CEO Andrew Messick according
to our sources at the 70.3 world championships recently. With that in mind, let’s
celebrate all that Ironman in Western Australia has to offer.
The mass start
Don’t miss the start on Sunday at 7am and don’t take it lightly.
Rolling starts are now the norm around the world and for Western Australia to
retain the mass start is an absolute highlight. I had my first rolling start in
Cairns earlier this year and after 4 months of winter training and taper, I
arrived at the start line to meet a tech official with a clipboard saying “wait……….ok
go” - not overly inspiring. The mass start has all of the excitement this event
deserves so make sure you are there to see it!
Terenzo Bozzone going back to back with wins
Terenzo is attempting to win back to back in this quality
field. Terenzo has shown his amazing flexibility over the last 2 weeks for
different formats and distances. 2 weeks ago he competed at the Island House
Triathlon #paininparadise sprint series (3 races in 2 days) and finished second
by the absolute smallest of margins. He then travelled to Bahrain 70.3 last
weekend and again finished second by just 40 seconds. He will now attempt an
Ironman distance event in the third week of a huge road trip and still be
competitive. Now that will be worth seeing.
Pete Jacobs return to IMWA.
Pete is a world champion. I don’t say “past world champion”
as that would lower his standing in my opinion. If you have climbed the pinnacle
of Iron Distance racing and shown you are the best in the world – you deserve
to always be called a World Champ. My high 5 with Pete as he came off the Queen
K back in 2012 still rates as a highlight on his way to the win. Pete has had well documented health
issues over the past few years but a third at IMCairns in 2016 showed glimpses
of improved fitness and form and the hope is he returns to the peak performance
he is capable of. 10 years ago Pete set a swim course record at IMWA of 44:42.
I still remember him walking the run course and not giving up that day until he
reached the finish line, even though the body had crumbled under the strain of
the battle. I can’t wait to see him compete this year.
Cameron Wurf’s bike split and run finish
Cameron is an ex-pro cyclist. He led off the bike in this
year’s world championships with a split of 4:12:54! Conditions were nowhere
near perfect that day (I can tell you) and he still managed a smoking time. In
Busselton he will have flat fast roads in his favour and I can’t wait to see
what split he can manage AND if he can hold the run speed off the bike to greet
the finish line.
Cameron Brown – one more time
Cam has competed in about a thousand Ironman events and
still knows how to race at 43 years old. He started ITU racing in 1990! He also
won his 11th IMNZ only a couple of years ago. It is worth being in
Busselton just to see this 4 time World Champ podium finisher show his quality
and can NEVER be discounted if he is in the start list.
Courtney Ogden returns
Courtney is a local favourite and a previous winner here in
2010. He has added his vast knowledge to the fledgling professional triathlon
team “better Tri Us” (BTU) recently and many on the sidelines will be waiting
to see if he can lift the trophy as a home grown Western Australian product at
the high end of the pro field.
The local Pro girls take on the rest of the world
Kate Bevilaqua is also a former winner of this event back in
2010 and a world Ultraman champion. She is a Perth girl and local hopes will
rest with her to get the job done as well as Dimity-Lee Duke. Dimity is now
based in Thailand but a local girl through and through. She finished just off
the podium 2 years ago and would like nothing better than improving on that
this year. The local crowd will be in full voice to support of these girls come
race day.
Legends list
You may notice some slightly different bib numbers which are
separated by a dash on them (for example 10-023). These are the legends of IMWA
and the first number is the total completed Ironman WA races for that person. It
is a great initiative and lets all of the spectators know the true Age Group
legends of our sport. I will be looking forward in particular to seeing Busselton
local Mick Bray, previous TRIWA president Peter Rash and Mandurah couple David
and Michelle Boyes ticking off yet another full distance event.
Young Age Group male rivalries
Last year the 18-24 male AG was won by a whopping 34 minutes
(to second place). This year, two young guns will renew rivalries and the
finish could be neck and neck. Local Busselton resident Louis Bray and east
coaster Tom Callaghan will pick up where they left off in Cairns earlier this
year. Louis led on to the run that day by 15 minutes and Tom had to dig deep
for the entire 42km to get over the top of him at the finish line. Keep your
eyes peeled for these young guns to take it up to each other on the hot
Busselton course this year.
Fast, fast 25-29 males
Former pro Johan Borg is by all reports in some of the best
form of his short IM career. He would be very hard to beat in this group and with
a mass start, his swim leg should be assisted and he will be a good chance to
finish as one of the fastest age groupers. Others to keep an eye out for in this
category include David Bryant, Charles Legget (5th last year) and
Ricky Leyonhjelm who debuted at this distance only last year at IM Australia
and should have learned from that experience.
Speedy age group males
Is it possible to go 8:51 as an age grouper and miss the
30-34 podium in a local event? Local Brad Wall did just that here last year. He will
have to be right towards the pointy end of the non-pro competitors again this year.
Other elite age groupers to keep an eye on for wins in their category (glancing
at the start list) include Nathan Groch (30-34, won IM Aus this year and 3rd
on this very course back in 2015), Rob Dendle (steps up from the 25-29 with
plenty of podiums around Australia at 70.3 distance), Rob Johnston (won IM Aus
back in 2016, 40-44), David Boyes (55-59, has won here before a number of times and recently finished 4th
at the IM world champs), Darren Franken (45-49, 5th here last year
and the same at IM Melbourne with plenty of wins at 70.3 distance), Alex Price
(35-39 won IM Aus last year and IM Japan back in 2014), Luke Whitmore (35-39,
podium at IM Aus a number of years back and won Geelong 70.3 last year)
You got chicked
Plenty of ladies in the age group ranks this year are ready
to show their amazing speed around the course. Girls with real chances of
podium finishes in their age group include Siobhan McCloskey (18 - 24, trained
locally by James Debenham and TEAM Tri WA, she has a win and 2nd
place at 70.3 events in both WA and Ballarat), Emily Kempson (18 – 24, who
finished second in her age group at IM Aus this year), local girl Chloe
Mackenzie who has shown speed at 70.3 distance but will need to step up to a
longer distance, Rikki Anderson (30-34 won IM Cairns in 2 different categories
the last 2 years), Lesley West who has won at 70.3 distance twice, Sophie Bubb (Also
coached by James Debenham locally 35-39 hot off her top 10 result in Kona and
won IM UK earlier this year, Michelle Boyes (45 – 49 and has done it all.
Multiple winner here and stood on the podium in Kona back in 2015) and Melanie
Baumann (35-39, the Swiss star with 4 wins at 70.3 distance including China and
the European championships)
The Vibe
Unlike many other events of this type (and I have raced in a
few around the world), IMWA is in a small town that completely embraces the
amazing feeling of human spirit that Ironman brings. Almost every person you
see in the streets, in the days leading up to the event, is connected to the
Ironman in some way. It means the Vibe and anticipation grows and grows as the
starting gun gets closer. Embrace the vibe and the supportive spectators – it is
iconic to this event.
The commentary
Pete Murray, the voice of Ironman in the Asia Pacific region
will be here to call every finisher over the line. I may be biased but I would
prefer his Australian excitement over an imported voice any day. “You are an
Ironman” will ring out time and time again and with Pete at the mike, anything
can happen and he will give his full gas for 17 hours helping every competitor
home.