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The Busselton Half Ironman Triathlon will be held on the town’s foreshore on Saturday 01 May 2010 with a capacity field of 1394 individuals that sold out within weeks of registrations opening. The event has finally established itself as the premier triathlon of Western Australia, prompting organisers to reduce the number of teams involved from 300 down to less than 200 to make way for more individual competitors.
Busselton has been home to the Half Ironman since 2002 and boasts a race that offers a fantastically fast and flat course that brings professionals and age-groupers back year after year. With no hills and plenty of shade on the bike course, this has been and will continue to be the stepping stone for those who set their sights on the bigger challenge of the Full Ironman, held in the same town, over much the same course, in December each year. The 3.6 km swim, 180 km bike and a full 42.2 km marathon run make Ironman one of the most gruelling days in sport, even when you have 17 hours to complete the challenge.
The Half Ironman is only half the distances of the full Ironman, so many spectators believe that it is easier. Professionals and age-groupers all agree that this could not be further from the truth. The shorter distances mean faster speeds as athletes push their bodies to the limit to keep the intensity and pace up, but their heart rates and temperature down.
The 1.9 km swim begins in the pristine waters of Geographe Bay and will be over for most of the athletes in around half an hour. The 2 lap bike course has been introduced this year to allow for the maximum field of individual and team riders who will be tearing up the 90 km between two and three hours. Last, but not least, is the 21.1 km Half Marathon, run parallel with the beach, which will test even the fittest legs as all competitors aim to be across the line within the 7 ½ hour cut-off period.
Luke McKenzie, Pete Jacobs and Courtney Ogden finished first, second and third respectively in 2009 with less than 7 minutes between them and all home in well under 4 hours. With these three absent for 2010, look out for previous full Ironman winners Mitch Anderson and Tim Berkel to take the lead on the bike leg and run like their life depends on it as soon as they dismount. Spectators from the region will be keeping a close eye on former Busselton local Lajos Varga who could cause a major upset on the day, as well as the hometown hero Steve Anstee, who finished his first ever Ironman in Port MacQuarie on March 28 in less than 10 hours!
Charlotte Paul, Lisa Marangon and Nicole Ward were the first three ladies across the line last year. Charlotte Paul will not be racing in 2010, so Marangon and Ward will be out to win, but also mindful of the strong competition from Kate Bevilaqua and former Busselton local Tineke Hancey among others.
Racing begins at 7.15 am on Saturday morning, but the party doesn’t end until the next day, as the athletes kick their heels up and say goodbye to another Triathlon season; start their long awaited winter break and just for a moment, forget they’ll get back into it again a few months later.
The website with all the details is – www.busseltonhalf.com
Steve comes to us as a journeyman who has a passion for writing and connections in sport at player and organising level. A young man who has a willingness to work hard and an eye for the details about what’s going on and who’s making it happen.