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A string of world class names are set to line up at SunSmart Ironman 70.3 Busselton on Saturday 3rd May 2014.
“The men’s field is the strongest we have ever had at SunSmart Ironman 70.3 Busselton and one of the largest in the Australia for the 2013/2014 season” said Ashleigh Davis, Event Manager for Triathlon WA.
The field is ripe with previous winners of this event, Olympic Athletes, multiple Ironman champions and up and coming professional athletes. In total 42 professional athletes will toe to start line at Geogrpahe Bay on Saturday 3rd May.
James Hodge, the 2012 SunSmart Ironman 70.3 Busselton Champion and 3rd place in the 2013 event will make the trip to WA from Tasmania. Hodge will take on an abundance of experienced athletes all hunting for the win.
A number of past podium placers will return to the event in 2014 including Tim Van Berkel (NSW) who was crowned champion in 2011. First timers to this particular event include Olympian Courtney Atkinson and ITU athlete Annabel Luxford who have recently made the move to the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 distance.
When asked about the Pro field for the 2014 Miss Davis said, “It’s one of the strongest I have seen in Busselton. This demonstrates that SunSmart Ironman 70.3 Busselton is one of Australia’s show case races”.
In the women’s field, WA local and crowd favourite, Kate Bevilaqua will look to take the title after finishing 2nd in 2012 and 2013. “I love this race and get excited about it every year” Said Kate. “Nothing beats racing at home and the incredible local support”.
Also joining Bevilaqua will be last year’s 3rd place Anna Russell, Michelle Wu, Annabel Luxford and Rebecca Hoschke. Luxford who has recently transitioned to the long course racing will be one to watch after placing 2nd at the Asia Pacific IRONMAN 70.3 Championship in New Zealand earlier this year.
There is no doubt that the hotly contested field will put on quite a show for the City of Busselton.
The community and participants of the SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton event have many chances to meet the professional athletes during the festival. These opportunities include;
• Chat with the Pros – Thursday 1st May, The Ship Inn Busselton
• MDWA Charity Breakfast – Friday 2nd May, The Ship Inn Busselton
• Pro Athlete Charity Breakfast – Friday 2nd May, Goose Café Busselton
• SunSmart Kids Triathlon – Sunday 4th May, Barnard Park Busselton
The SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon comprises a series of 3 day events culminating in the SunSmart Ironman 70.3 Triathlon on Saturday 3rd May 2014. In lead up to the festival, professional athletes travelling from all around the country will impart some of their esteemed knowledge and skills to local coaches, schools and triathletes. The Festival begins on Thursday 1st May with the Chat with the Pros. Friday morning is host to the Charity Breakfast, followed by the Village Expo opening at 9am exhibiting local and national retailers’. The inaugural 1km open water swim event will take place on Friday lunch time which will give athletes, spectators and the community a chance to race in the waters of Geographe Bay. Saturday is race day for the SunSmart Ironman 70.3 and Telstra Teams event. The festival continues on Saturday evening with the Athlete Function/Medal Ceremony. Sunday morning sees the SunSmart Kids Triathlon, which forms part of the triathlon calendar for many of the local and visiting children. In 2013 the festival brought more than 15,000 tourists to the seaside town of Busselton for a weekend of exciting racing and community engagement.
In 2014 the event will attract more than 1700 individuals and 500 teams, totalling more than 3100 competitors participating at the event. Along with this over 17,000 spectators will line the foreshore of Busselton to cheer on the athletes over the 1.9km swim, 90.1km bike and 21.1km run course. Busselton has been the home of this event since 2002 and has continued to grow from year to year.
2014 PRO START LIST
JAMES HODGE
SAM APPLETON
TIM VAN BERKEL
JOSH RIX
JIMMY JOHNSEN
MATT BURTON
COURTNEY OGDEN
GUY CRAWFORD
GREGORY FARRELL
MITCHELL ANDERSON
ALEX REITHMEIR
JUSTIN GRANGER
TOM RODGERS
JAMIE STANLEY
JAMES LEWIN
SAM BETTEN
COURTNEY ATKINSON
CASEY MUNRO
KATE BEVILAQUA
ANNA RUSSELL
MICHELLE WU
ANNABEL LUXFORD
REBECCA HOSCHKE
BELINDA GRANGER
POLLY MOSLEY
MATILDA RAYNOLDS
KIYOMI NIWATA
KRISTY HALLETT
RENEE BAKER
HOLLY RANSON
MICHELLE DUFFIELD
KATY DUFFIELD