There’s an ANZAC spirit about the approach of three outstanding athletes preparing for Sunday’s 34th Ironman World Championship in Hawaii (NZ time).
Veteran Cameron Brown has joined forces with fellow kiwi star Terenzo Bozzone and former world champion from Australia, Chris McCormack in camp on the Big Island.
Bozzone, 11th last year and the former 70.3 World champion, joined up with McCormack to prepare for Kona last year. This year Brown paired with the kiwi-born Australian in Europe preparing for Ironman Germany. The trio have joined forces for their Anzac onslaught on Ironman’s Holy Grail in the cauldron of Kona Kailua this weekend.
There are four New Zealanders confirmed for the elite start in Kona this year – Brown and Bozzone in the men with Gina Crawford and Jo Lawn in the women, making New Zealand along with Australia one of the most powerful all-round nations at the world championships.
There are also 32 New Zealanders who qualified at Ironman New Zealand this year for their crack at glory on The Big Island.
Brown is a three-time podium finisher in Hawaii and believes he can return to the top three this year, somewhere he has not been since 2003.
At 38 Brown is still improving as a triathlete and getting faster especially in Taupo where he has proved invincible. A key is that he is a more powerful cyclist, and hopes that this power will allow him to get closer to the Europeans after the 180km on the bike so that his renowned speed on the run could pay dividends.
“I can’t keep standing up the top guys so much off the bike,” Brown said.
“I am really happy with my build-up so far although we have a lot of work still to be done. All the data shows that I have at least the same amount of power output on the bike, if not even stronger.
“So the tactics will be the same which is to have a good swim and then have the strength on the bike to go with the big guns, or at least get myself further down the road before the freight train comes through.
“I need to have a run like I did in Taupo at Ironman New Zealand – certainly sub 2hr 45min. If I am up there off the bike and can finally put a top run together, then anything can happen. I’d like to think I can get on the podium but I am always searching for that perfect day to win this thing.”
Brown, who had a win in a 70.3 half ironman event in Japan a week ago, said the trade winds are forecast to drop which may be a scorching race day.
Brown was second in 2001 and third in 2002 and 2003.
Bozzone produced an eye-catching display to finish 11th in his Ironman debut last year. There’s no questioning his pedigree in the sport with four world junior titles in triathlon and duathlon to his credit, a remarkable race record at the famed Wildflower and victory in the 70.3 world championship in Florida.
His speed is not in question. This year he has chalked up wins in 70.3 (half ironman) races in Rhode Island, Eagleman, St Croix and Texas and he was runner-up in four others.
He was second to Brown in Taupo in his Ironman debut in 2009 and then again in 2010 when he went for the doctor before looking more like the patient on the second lap of the bike.
Bozzone is still just 25 years of age – and the pundits reckon that success in Kona is a matter of when and not if.
“I have put in the work and I have been up here in Hawaii for a few weeks now to acclimatise,” Bozzone said.
“I just want to concentrate on my own race. I am still a new boy on the block and anything can happen. I am still learning what this sport is about and of course the heat, the humidity and the winds here in Hawaii makes it so special.”
There’s no question than another Aussie in two-time winner Craig Alexander will be the favourite but there’s a mix of newcomers and veterans out to spoil things. American Chris Lieto has re-emerged as a threat on the back of his German-like power on the bike. There are former Olympic-distance stars like Andreas Raelert (Germany), Rasmus Henning (Denmark) and Andy Potts (USA) hoping to push up while the German trio of Timo Bracht, Normann Stadler and Faris Al Sultan, are bound to be factors throughout.
Without denigrating the chances of Lawn and Crawford, it is probably fair to say that the women’s field are all running for second best.
Great Britain’s Chrissie Wellington is the overwhelming favourite as she chases her fourth straight victory. It’s not just the wins but the nature of her dominance that is a factor. Last year she stormed away to win by 20 minutes and set a course record of 8hr 54min in the process. The year before she lost 10 minutes with a puncture but that did not stop her catching the field, opening a winning break on the bike and storming away on the run.
Lawn has finished in every placing from fourth to 10th in Hawaii with a super-solid effort for eighth last year. That was just a few weeks after curing a long term health issue and after two penalties on the bike.
She went on to regain her title at ironman New Zealand for the seventh time in a course record and sixth in Ironman Germany with a major mechanical along with a victory of the Half distance in UK. Since then she has trained extremely hard at altitude in Boulder and is ready to enjoy a potential podium effort in Hawaii.
Crawford has Ironman victories in Australia, USA and New Zealand to her credit but as she was about to explode following her win in Taupo in 2009, she has been plagued with injury and illness.
Crawford received a real boost to her chances with a brilliant victory in Ironman Wisconsin just seven weeks ago in a new race record.
The Christchurch athlete has outstanding skills – a wonderful swimmer, much improved rider and deceptively quick runner. She has prepared on her own in Noosa before heading to the US for pre-Hawaii competition. She will go to Kona under the radar this year – just as she likes it.
The other major chances include Australia’s outstanding Miranda Carfrae, who scorched home with a run record in Hawaii last year for second, and former Olympic distance star Virginia Berasategui.
There also the matter of more than 1400 age group athletes chasing their moment in the sun on the parched Queen K Highway.
