firstoffthebike.com - Races

Challenge Wanaka steps up

Challenge Wanaka is a strange race for the simple reason that it is positioned on the calender when most professionals are still dusting off the Christmas cobwebs and getting back into training. So it's a race for those who might have forgone the festive season antics that the rest of us indulge in.

The field for this event is a little thin, but considering it's timing, a strong line up is always going to be a big ask. There will still be a lot of interest in this event however as Wanaka could well be the start of some big seasons.

Rebekah Keat deserves top billing for this race after her efforts at Challenge Roth last season where she was oh so close to the sports' top weight in Chrissie Wellington. Her Kona was horrible and her Ironman WA was a false start, so Keat will be out to put 2009 to rest and take on 2010 with a clean slate and a whole lot of angst to grind out on the course.

Keat will be challenged by Gina Crawford who would have used this Christmas period to recover after her strong win In Western Australia. Crawford is a great racer and will view Keat as her main threat. Outside of that is the likeable Dane Lisbeth Kristensen and the enigmatic Rebecca Preston. Preston could have been anything but has struggled with motivation in recent times.

On the men's side of the ledger the defending champion Chris McDonald and course record holder would have to be the one to beat. In fact the whole men's podium is back for another attempt which must have delighted race organisers. McDonald set up his win last season on the bike where he made a gap of some 7 minutes and held on from the fast charging Keegan Williams, Ironman journeyman.

Petr Vabrousek will also be there abouts but he is so over raced that it is hard to see him making up the the necessary time to get to the top of the pile. His schedule of races last season was into the double figures, surely making him one of the most-raced Ironman athletes getting around.

The dark horse for this weekend is Richard Ussher. Known primarily as an adventure racer, Ussher has turned his attention to Ironman racing and has shown a great aptitude for it. An 8:35 at Ironman New Zealand last year was proof that he has what it takes to win one.

Check in post race as we'll tell you how Wanaka's 2010 kickoff unfolded.