Ironman European Championship set to go!
The buzz this week has been about Chris McCormack. Macca has been on the end of a couple of beatings recently and that won't sit well with the a man who quite rightly believes he is tough to beat. But Macca loves this race and knows how to go hard and race tough. Last season he battled Eneko Llanos for the entire marathon and got home by a scant 55 seconds. The good news for us is that Llanos is back to try his luck the bad news for the rest of the pros is that he can run a fast marathon. Timo Bracht has signed up again and he ran the quickest marathon last year (2:42) for third.
There are two new names to contend with too. Faris Al-Sultan is in this year. The 2005 World Champion has not had much to crow about of late. He won IM Langkawi last season and was 11th at Kona but he needs a win over some real class to grab back the spark he had in '05/'06. Faris is a cunning racer and will be ready for this one. But there are questions about him still. Plus he is one the few guys still getting around in speedos so hats off to him for sticking to his fashion guns.
The other force in Germany will be Terenzo Bozzone. Bozzone is an Ironman newbie having only raced one previously but it was a good one! (2nd at IM NZ). And what he learned in his first race will be invaluable to his race plan for this weekend. He showed his ability too by running toe to toe with Cam brown at IM New Zealand before Brown pulled away. You get the feeling that Bozzone could be anything and at age 24 has the triathlon world at his feet.
The women's event is somewhat 'thinner' than the mens. Last year Chrissie Wellington did an 8:51 to ice the race. She is not a starter this year and Nicole Leder, second to her last year and back for this one, must be stoked about that. Wellington had almost 25 minutes on the rest of the field last year.
The other name to jump out is Yvonne Van Vlerken. Van Vlerken is a tough racer and will see this event as real opportunity for an M Dot win.
We'll be all over this so check back in post race.
Comments (2)
by firstoffthebike, 03 July 2009Solid work there Matt!
by Matt, 03 July 2009Bozzone no doubt is a real talent, and im sure he will go close to a podium finish, but im a little confused as to why he would choose to do three ironmans in seven months. Last time I checked he was on the start list for Kona, so personally, i think its a pretty silly move. It also amazes me that I guy at only 24 is starting his ironman career, why would'nt you wait aleast a few more years in 70.3 to keep your speed and then move on to ironman.In my opinion late twenties early thirties is the perfect time to go long, Luke bell is a perfect example, did well early on, then went backwards, now flying in 70.3. Look at the mayjor players in Kona over the last twenty years, Scott, Allen, Reid, Van Lierde, Macca, crowie, the list goes on and on, all older guys, and all with maybe the exception of Dave Scott, doing long appreticeships in short course.