The champions are back along with one of the sport’s true champions amid the stunning surrounds of Kenting in Taiwan this weekend.
IRONMAN ambassador Cameron Brown, who has raced in most triathlon countries around the globe, makes his Taiwan debut at the BMW IRONMAN 70.3 Taiwan this weekend.
Brown, an 11-time IRONMAN winner, will take on a strong field alongside both of the 2013 winners Fredrik Croneborg of Sweden and Michelle Wu of Australia this Sunday at the resort playground of Kenting.
Croneborg was in superb form to win last year but faces an IRONMAN great in Brown, now 42, who shows no signs of slowing up after winning in a stunning performance in IRONMAN Cairns this year.
Brown and the diminutive Croneborg, both known for their run speed, could end up in a drag race for the title, but could also face challenges from the likes of Hiroyuki Nishiuchi of Japan and Guy Crawford of New Zealand, contenders familiar with the unique challenges of racing in sub-tropical Asia.
Also known for her fleet feet, Wu will chase her fourth win in five years in Taiwan. She’ll face off against last year’s runner up, compatriot Kate Bevilaqua, American Dede Griesbauer Australian neo pro Dimity-Lee Duke.
Look for her potent swim-bike combo to propel Griesbauer to the front early and put the pressure on her rivals, and don’t count out the staying power and motivation of local long course star Shiao-Yu Li to mount a late attack. The two-time winner of IRONMAN Japan, Li is known for her grit and run speed, and she would like nothing more than to cap an impressive recovery from a serious bike crash late last year with a podium finish to cap her comeback in front of the home crowd.
IRONMAN 70.3 Taiwan offers a mostly rolling course that can be warm even at this time of year, with unpredictable winds sweeping down from the hills. Athletes take on a two-lap 1.9km ocean swim at South Bay leading to a 90-m\km, two-loop bike. This features one major climb each lap at Guanshan – named by CNN alongside spots like Easter Island and the Grand Canyon as one of the world’s dozen top places to catch a sunset. Neither the time of day nor the mood will find athletes slowing down to take in the sweeping view over the Hengchun Peninsula as they make their way up the climb from sea level to 152m. After completing the bike, they head out along the western corridor of the Kenting National Park for a scenic 21.1-kilometer run that alternates ocean views with beach resorts and quaint fishing villages.
Now in its fifth straight year, IRONMAN 70.3 Taiwan hosts 1543 triathletes from 39 countries, offering 30 for spots in the 2015 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Zell Am See-Kaprun, Austria.
Profesional athletes will be competing for P-500 points and $15,000 prize purse
Male Pro:
1 Fredrik Croneborg SWE
2 Cameron Brown NZL
3 Stuart Marais RSA
4 Domenico Passuello ITA
5 Guy Crawford NZL
6 Victor Debil-Caux FRA
7 Jonathan Tryoen FRA
8 Deak Zsombor ROU
9 Daiki Masuda JPN
10 Hiroyuki Nishiuchi JPN
11 Shingo Tani JPN
12 Michael Gohner GER
13 Tim Meyer GER
14 Iain Veitch NKG
15 Michal Bucek SVK
Female Pro:
21 Michelle Wu AUS
22 Kate Bevilaqua AUS
23 Dimity-Lee Duke AUS
24 Dede Griesbauer USA
25 Shiao-Yu Li TWN
26 Maki Nishiuchi JPN
27 Emi Sakai JPN
28 Yausko Miyazaki JPN