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FETTELL AND BLATCHFORD INSTALLED AS PRE RACE FAVOURITES

Mandurah, Australia (October 10, 2012) – A string of world class names have opted to contest the inaugural SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Mandurah on Sunday 21 October 2012.

The event will offer a USD 50,000 prize purse for the Australian Professional Championship and will be announcing that the 2013 event will have 30 exclusive qualifying slots for the 2014 IRONMAN World Championship, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Australian triathlete Clayton Fettell would have to be installed as the pre race favourite with his recent results. His last two IRONMAN 70.3 races have produced wins and he is looking to seize a podium finish in Mandurah.

At the recent IRONMAN 70.3 Mooseman, Fettell dominated the swim, rode the best bike of the day and conquered the run finishing with a 13:18 lead. The Aussie athlete is looking to bring these trademark tactics to Mandurah.

“I am in the form of my life and really looking forward going after this race,” Fettell said.

IRONMAN Champion, Paul Ambrose will also be one to watch and will be up against some tough competition with the in-form Tim Berkel expected to also feature in the leading group.

“I am looking forward to finishing off my season the way I started it, back home in Australia. I started my season with IRONMAN Australia and it's only fitting to finish off the season back in Australia with the 70.3 Champs, I hope I can finish the way I started," Ambrose said.

Professional IRONMAN Triathlete Tim Berkel is looking forward to the race and testing his winning streak in the West.
 
“I have had great run in the west by winning IRONMAN Busselton in 2008 and IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton in 2011 so I would love to do well in Mandurah.

“Training is going well and I'm looking forward to getting back to some fast racing, it's been a rough year,” Berkel said.

South Australian Matthew White will be sure to keep the front runners honest. The new dad has targeted this race and will definitely feature at the head of the field.

“My training has been great, very consistent with a focus on strength work in September as I have 4 IRONMAN 70.3 races in 5 weeks starting at Mandurah.

“We have just had a baby which has changed how I approach training now so have cut out a lot of junk training and added more quality into my program so I can spend more time with my little girl and the benefits have been great.

“My tactics in the race is to utilise my strength which is mainly the bike. I am confident of attaining a podium as my last 3 races in WA have been really consistent as I was 2nd in the IRONMAN Busselton 2010 and 2nd in IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton in 2011 and 2012,” White said.

In the women’s field, there will be some stiff opposition from World Class British Triathlete and IRONMAN 70.3 Champion Liz Blatchford, who took out the recent IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel in September, and twelve time IRONMAN champion Belinda Granger.

 “I am really looking forward to the SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Mandurah. I grew up in Western Australia and have raced in Mandurah plenty of times as a kid. It should be a beautiful course and great conditions.

“I've just come off a win in IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel so I am hoping for another strong result. I will spend the 3 weeks preceding the race in Perth so won’t be far away, I should have time to check out the course,” Blatchford said.

IRONMAN Distance Triathlon Champion Belinda Granger is a firm favourite and is in form to tackle to Mandurah course. Granger is currently in Hawaii doing a three week training block in the lead up the Mandurah event.

"I am extremely excited to be racing the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Mandurah. I have raced the IRONMAN 70.3 in Busselton many times now and have always enjoyed the race and my time there.

“I have no doubts that IRONMAN Mandurah 70.3 will be just as amazing.

“I am currently doing a three week training block in Kona, Hawaii to prepare for the race and everything has been going really well. I am looking forward to returning to Perth to race the new course which I have heard will be flat and fast. I also look forward to sampling some more of Western Australia's fabulous wines and of course the infamous Mandurah fish burgers post-race,” Granger said.

Mr Geoff Meyer, Chief Executive Officer of USM EVENTS | IRONMAN Asia Pacific, stated that the event organisers are committed to bringing the IRONMAN experience to Mandurah as it presents a perfect location, course and all stake holders involved are excited about the event.

“The IRONMAN brand is globally acknowledged and since its inception in 2007 the IRONMAN 70.3 series has become the fastest growing series in the world,” said Mr Meyer.

“Mandurah is well positioned to attract the local market, the timing also entices national participation and significant prize purse and Championship status ensures the professionals support,” added Mr Meyer.

There is no doubt that the hotly contested field will put on quite a show for the city of Mandurah.

The SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Mandurah will also see an inspiring field of age group contenders tackle the 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and 21.1km run, some first timers and others who are seasoned triathletes.

Online entries for the event are closed however limited entries will be available at the event check-in tent on Friday 19 October and Saturday 20 October.

IronKids Mandurah, the kids version of the SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Mandurah, will take place on Saturday 20 October.

Spectators are encouraged to come down to Mandurah’s foreshore to cheer on all athletes taking part across the event weekend.