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My top USA female pIck is Heather Jackson:  

Heather had a breakthrough race in Kona last year to get on the podium, improving on her 5th place in 2015.  She has shown that she has cracked the code for performing well on the lava fields and has geared her season around peaking there again this year by not over-racing in the months leading up to it.  If she can limit her loss on the swim (her one weakness), she can utilise her bike strength (which is arguably second to only Ryf) to create some separation on the fastest runners rather than just closing the gap, which will set herself up for another podium finish.  History has shown that those that have finished in the top three in the past in Hawaii have the greatest chance of getting on the podium in the future, so Heather is definitely a good bet.

My top USA male pick is Tim O’Donnell:  

Tim, like Heather, has statistics on his side in that he has been on the podium before (3rd in 2015), which gives him a strong probability for getting on the podium again.  He does not have a weakness as he is a front pack swimmer, a strong cyclist, and has the marathon legs to back it up (2:51 in Kona in 2013).  But there are three other factors that make him one of my favourites:

He is tenacious and a fighter; when he went through a bad patch last year in Kona, he lost a few places on the run but then pulled himself back together to finish 6th

He is coached by one of the greats in the sport, Mark Allen, who has given him the tools to master the physical AND mental demands of Hawaii.

And finally I believe that a happy balance in life reduces stress and frees up the body and mind to race at one’s best–having a healthy daughter added to the family in August will have him in excellent spirits.  

If he can put all three of his best legs from the past into one race in 2017, he will be at or near the front of the race all the way to the finish.

My dark horse is Jodie Robertson.  

Jodie is practically a rookie in the sport (3rd year in the sport, 2nd year as a pro) and has already a big Ironman win to her credit with her victory at Ironman Texas in April of this year.  She comes from an elite marathoning background (2:34 PR) which gives her an edge on every other competitor in the field including Daniela Ryf.  She had a respectable 20th place in her debut in Kona in 2016, and her win in Texas shows she knows how to handle heat.  Another year of accumulated cycling and swimming training coupled with her huge talent on the run, should propel her to a huge leap up into the top 10 contenders in Kona. 

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After Tim Don’s pre-race pull-out following a car crash, Brit hopes were pinned on Scot David McNamee and he finished in a stunning third to break Spencer Smith’s 20-year Brit men’s Kona record of fifth.

GERMAN THREAT

Gary Lineker once said that, “Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and, at the end, the Germans always win.” Much the same could be said for the men’s race Ironman World Championship race in Hawaii in recent times, with 55 pro men swim, biking and running for eight hours before the Germans win, with Sebastian Kienle (2014) and Jan Frodeno (2015 and 2016) taking the past three titles in emphatic style.

After his two consecutive wins, Jan Frodeno’s big target for the 2017 Ironman World Championships was Craig Alexander’s course record of 8:03:56 set in 2011 and, beyond that, a crack at becoming the first Ironman in history to go sub-8hrs in Hawaii.

Frodeno’s biggest rival was Kienle once again, with the bike powerhouse – and no slouch on the run – aiming to make up the expected arrears on the 3.8km swim to create enough daylight between himself and Frodeno onto the marathon run. Their compatriot Patrick Lange, third in 2016, would also be a contender after a record-breaking 2:39:45 marathon 12 months before.

For the Brits, David McNamee was the big hope to break Spencer Smith’s 20-year record of fifth, with the hugely sad news of Tim Don being hit by a bike in the build-up overshadowing the GB pre-race news.

INTO KAILUA BAY

The 3.8km swim in Kailua Bay was led out by the American Josh Amberger in 47:09. Frodeno was over a minute back in 48:27, with Brits Harry Wiltshire (48:32) and David McNamee (48:40) in the front group. Kienle was over 5mins behind.

At the 2:30hr mark of the race, Amberger had a 30sec gap to Frodeno, America’s Ben Hoffman, Nils Frommhold of Germany and Bermuda’s Tyler Butterfield. Yet the big movement was coming from behind, with Canada’s Lionel Sanders, Aussie Cameron Wurf and Kienle passing the main chase group and closing in on Frodeno at the front.

By 70km of the bike, Sanders had the overall lead and was delivering an average power output of 303 watts and average pace of 29mph, with Kienle and Wurf nestling behind. Normann Stadler’s bike course record of 4:18hr looked under threat.

With the wind picking up and temperatures rising over 80C by 10am Hawaii time, rumours were circulating – via the 1994 Ironman World Champion, Greg Welch – that Frodeno had an injury and had been having treatment in the week beforehand.

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The battle on the famous Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway would continue throughout the bike, with Frodeno dropping 2:10mins back from the white hot trio of Kienle, Wurf and Sanders at the 100 mile (160km) point. 

The close of the 180km bike saw Cameron Wurf enter T2 after 4:12:54, with Stadler’s record absolutely crushed. Sanders was 54secs back, Kienle 1:34, and Frodeno 2:16 in arrears. Lange and McNamee were close to 10mins behind. The run was on!

NEW BIKE COURSE RECORD: @CameronWurf established a bike course record in 4:12:54 – more than 5 minutes faster than Normann Stadler in 2006. pic.twitter.com/5mhGCA6YIU

— IRONMAN Triathlon (@IRONMANtri) October 14, 2017

On his third Kona attempt, Sanders took the lead early in the run but looked to be moving gingerly, as was Frodeno, who had been moved to walking pace after 5km on the run. 

Hard to see our defending champ walking at mile 3. pic.twitter.com/x0pxNvQNbl

— IronmanLIVE.com (@IRONMANLive) October 14, 2017

America’s Ben Hoffman was moving to the front as the main contender for U.S. glory since 2002, but it was Lange who has surging through the field. His made his move over the Canadian late in the day at the 23 mile (37km) point to break the iconic Ali’i Drive tape in 8:01:40. Sanders held on for second 2:27mins back and McNamee took third from Kienle at the death with a 2:45:30 marathon to make Brit men’s history. 

Colorful, cheerful Ali’i Drive. There’s nothing like it! pic.twitter.com/Neub7oGWTK

— IronmanLIVE.com (@IRONMANLive) October 15, 2017

“I always always since I was a child, dreamed of this. I really had to fight–I had to fight so hard. Crowie [Carig Alexander] believed in me when we raced Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay, and he said ‘you’re going to win it’ and I said ‘No, I don’t think so.’ Honestly, I can’t believe it,” said Lange at the finish.

 Pro Men – Finish 

    1 8:01:40    Patrick Lange        

    2 8:04:07    Lionel Sanders       

    3 8:07:11    David McNamee        

    4 8:09:59    Sebastian Kienle     

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    5 8:11:24    James Cunnama    

 

Hi everyone, here’s @wags.photo and I’m taking over 220 Triathlon account during the Kona race week! In this shot I went inside a Lava Tube, a natural conduit formed by flowing lava which moves beneath the hardened surface of a lava flow. Tubes means the lava flow has ceased and the rock has cooled and left a long cave. Unique shot from the Big Island of Hawaii. Stay tuned this week for more shots from Hawaii! #triathlon #ironman #ironmanworldchampionships #kona #hawaii #photography #behindthescenes #220gram

A post shared by 220 Triathlon (@220triathlon) on Oct 12, 2017 at 12:00am PDT

 

Thursday morning can only mean one thing in Kona: Underpants Run! Here’s @wags.photo and I’m taking over @220Triathlon account this week to bring you the taste of Hawaii. Stay tuned for more shots! #underpantsrun #kona2017 #triathlon #ironman #ironmanworldchampionships #kona #hawaii #photography #behindthescenes #220gram

A post shared by 220 Triathlon (@220triathlon) on Oct 12, 2017 at 11:23am PDT

 

Time for the final checks for bike check-in this Friday in Kona, and another excuse to ride again in the Lava Fields 😉 All the 2.400 athletes will be checking their bikes and gear throughout the day. I’m @wags.photo and I’m taking over @220triathlon this week in Hawaii. Less than 36 hours to race start! #triathlon #ironman #ironmanworldchampionships #kona #hawaii #photography #behindthescenes #220gram

A post shared by 220 Triathlon (@220triathlon) on Oct 13, 2017 at 12:00am PDT

 

Oh the Hawaiian sunset! It’s always a magical experience. I’m @wags.photo and I’m taking over the 220 Triathlon account this week with exclusive images from Hawaii. Less than 24hrs to race start! #kona2017 #imwc #imhawaii #hawaii

A post shared by 220 Triathlon (@220triathlon) on Oct 13, 2017 at 10:51am PDT

 

The calm before the storm! All 2,400+ bikes rest at the Ironman World Championship transition area in Kona. I’m @wags.photo and I’m taking over the 220 Triathlon account for this week in Hawaii. This is one of my fave pre-race shots this year and my very last before race day. Stay tuned for more images and stories from the Big Island. #triathlon #ironman #ironmanworldchampionships #kona #hawaii #photography #behindthescenes #220gram

A post shared by 220 Triathlon (@220triathlon) on Oct 13, 2017 at 10:42pm PDT

 

They’re off! Photo: @wags.photo #kona2017 #ironmanworldchampionships #kona #hawaii #photography #behindthescenes #220gram

A post shared by 220 Triathlon (@220triathlon) on Oct 14, 2017 at 10:19am PDT

 

What a day here for this man! New record in Hawaii for Patrick Lange 8:01:39!!!

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With this in mind, we snapped up the opportunity earlier in the year to check out the newly-built 50m competition pool and fitness facilities at the Occidental Lanzarote Mar hotel.

Situated just outside the holiday resort Costa Teguise, on the east coast, the hotel has long been a favourite for Brits looking for all-inclusive holidays in the sun. But with the growth of fitness tourism in recent years, the hotel are investing in new facilities designed to appeal to triathletes and tri clubs.

Island life

So why Lanza? Well, as the island is only 77km long, it’s perfect for triathletes to explore by bike. Roads are smooth and pothole-free (and largely traffic-free, as well!), while the Lanzarote climate is good for training all year round. January is the coldest month at 17 degrees C, while the sea temperature only drops to around 18 degrees C, making it perfect for open water training. It’s also popular with both pro and age-group triathletes because of the volcanic landscape, which gives a great pre-Kona training ground.

What does the Occidental Lanzarote Mar have to offer triathletes? Well, first up there’s that new heated Olympic pool, which offers 10 lanes overlooking the sea (above). For guests it costs from €2.50 to hire a shared lane (depending on time of day), or from €17 for a whole lane booking (maximum of 8 swimmers), making it perfect for clubs looking to hold training sessions.

When we visited, Alberto Lorrio, the resort’s Sports Manager, showed us round the purpose-built space next to the pool that is now home to Technogym aerobic and strength-training machines, as well as an indoor cycling room and a complete Cross training box. There’s also a cycling centre with bike hire, storage and mechanic services.

Sleep at altitude

If you’re looking for something a bit special during your stay, the Occidental has some impressive athlete-focused bedrooms as well. When we visited there was one altitude room available (from €144pp/pn) which includes a unit that can be set so that you choose the altitude you sleep at and they plan to open two more. There are also six Sports Suites (from €168pp/pn and there will soon be nine) which include bike storage and your own hot tub for post-training relaxation. All sports rooms even include a special Ironman-branded mattress!

Thanks to the size of the resort, there is plenty available for bigger clubs or athletes on a budget as well, with rooms available to sleep up to six athletes (ideal for youth training camps). Prices vary depending the time of the year, for example a week for training in a double room, half board from the 10 to the 17th of December costs around €345 per person per week.

Healthy options

The size of the resort also means that they can accommodate the needs of athletes as well as holidaymakers. Ok, so you’ll probably want to dodge the all-you-can-eat burgers (and beers) at the poolside bar and the old-school evening entertainment aimed at the older package holiday market, but head to the main restaurant for lunch or dinner and there’s a wide selection of healthy options available and special diets can be catered for. There’s also a private dining room that can be booked by clubs if you want to avoid the holidaymakers, plus the hotel offer an athlete package that takes into consideration that fact that most athletes won’t be wanting any alcohol. The spa also offers sports massage.

With a chilly few months of training ahead of us now in the UK, we’ll certainly be heading back to Lanzarote to check out how the resort is developing as a fitness destination. If only for the chance to dive into that amazing pool again!

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EXCLUSIVE 220 TRIATHLON OFFER. Save 10% by using the code ‘BATHLETE’ when booking directly through the website www.barcelo.com This code is not valid for group reservations. Training camps should contact the Sports Department directly.

This adventurous race combines a 420 metre sprint swim in icy-cold water with eight canal gates to clamber over (a total climb of 18 metres). Each canal gate features a different obstacle to climb up – including cargo net, ropes, wood ladder, rope ladders and a climbing wall.

 In March this year, Glasgow played host to more than 300 brave competitors, traveling from as far afield as Canada, Switzerland and Lebanon to swim, climb and conquer Red Bull Neptune Steps. Now the 2018 event is aiming to double participation, as the world’s only uphill swimming race continues to grow taking to the canal waters for this it’s fourth edition.

The competitors will compete in heats throughout the day. The highest placed swimmers from each round will then move onto the semi-finals and eventually the final.

The event launched in 2015 as the first ever fully supervised swimming event to take place in a Scottish canal.

Local swimmer Mark Deans has fought off some serious competition in recent years including Olympic swimmers and triathletes, accomplished Commonwealth Games competitors, and experienced adventure racers to string together 5 successive Red Bull Neptune Steps victories with wins in Glasgow and in Sweden. The Scottish champion swimmer recently smashed the world record for swimming 28.5 miles around Manhattan in what is considered to be one of the greatest challenges in endurance swimming, setting a new time of 6 and a half hours as part of the 20 Bridges marathon swimming event on July 23. Now, the 22 year old is relishing the prospect of defending his Red Bull Neptune Steps title following a nail-biting finale earlier this year. Looking ahead to the event Mark said: 

“I’m aiming to continue my unbeaten record, and keep on winning this event for as long as I possibly can. Each year, the competition gets tougher and tougher, but I’m up for the challenge of defending my title for sure. In this sport, there’s no other event quite like it” 

Red Bull Neptune Steps will take place on Saturday March 10 at Maryhill Locks in Glasgow. Entries open Tuesday 24 Oct, 10am at redbull.co.uk/neptunesteps

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For more information on watching the event or taking part please visit www.redbull.co.uk/neptunesteps

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Launched by Brutal Events’ Claire Smith last year (whose Brutal is one of the toughest irons in the world) and making its debut in October 2017, the inaugural race took over Eton’s Dorney Lake – usually a beginner-triathlon honeypot – and attracted some of the most hardcore triathletes from around the globe, with the UK’s 100+ iron finisher, Anthony Gerundini, naturally on the start line.

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But after 158:09:04 hours of racing, it would be Ireland’s Gerard Predergast who took the honours, and in the process becoming only the second-ever Irish person to complete a deca tri in 10 days.

The winner of the first DecaUK is @jrbootcamp Gerard Prendergast in 158:09:04

An incredible performance

Age-group drug testing has already been taking place at international events, but this will be the first time that it will operate at an international event in Britain. A successful pilot testing scheme, run by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), took place at the British Triathlon Age-Group Team qualification event at Thorpe Park in September with the aim of familiarising more athletes with the testing process.

Fifty-seven athletes were randomly selected to attend a mock test and education session at the event last month. Additional athletes voluntarily engaged with clean sport trainers, and the process was met with excellent feedback from those who took part.

Ian Howard, British Triathlon President, said: “There have been a number of age-group anti-doping rule violations in other countries, some of which may have been inadvertent, so we have a duty of care to ensure that our athletes are educated about clean sport. This has been in our plans for some time in line with our objective of ensuring a level playing field for all competitors.”

British Triathlon is supporting the ETU’s decision to increase the amount of in-competition drug testing for age-group athletes at international events and will look to roll out their anti-doping education programme across the wider triathlon community in forthcoming months.

There will be an educational workshop at the upcoming British Triathlon and Triathlon England AGM and Workshop day on 11 November in Loughborough for those interested to learn more. Spaces on the free course are limited, so book early to secure a spot

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More than 800 endurance athletes – including six physically challenged athletes – from 52 countries competed in the event, which started with a one-mile rough water swim at D.T. Fleming Beach, followed by a 20-mile mountain bike ride that traversed the West Maui Mountains, and finished with a tough 6.5-mile trail run in the hot sun. In total there was more than 4,000-feet of combined climbing on the technical bike and run courses. 

However the women’s race was all about Flora Duffy. She led the swim, the bike, and the run for the women by a remarkable lead. By mile 15 on the bike, Duffy had an almost six-minute lead on runner up Barbara Riveros from Chile.

“I did my first XTERRA World Championship in 2013, and I can vividly remember almost falling over running on that beach down there,” said Duffy.

“So, to be here today after winning four in a row is pretty unbelievable and pretty crazy to think about where I started. It’s a very special day for me, and what made it even cooler was that Bradley Weiss – Bad Brad I like to call him – won his first world title [men’s elite race]. We’ve done a lot of training together over the years. He helped me in my final prep to Rotterdam and I would like to think I helped him today.”

The 2017 Xterra Chile Champion, Barbara Riveros was in second place for most of the race after a solid swim. She finished in 2:56:11, about eight minutes behind Duffy. Laura Philipp was third in 2:57:24.

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“On the bike, Flora was on another level, we all know that,” said Riveros, a three-time Olympian, who missed the last two years at Maui because of injury. “I’m very happy to be at the finish in one piece and I’m happy to be back. I definitely need to spend more time on the mountain bike to get to the next level.”

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