A first-time IRONMAN Australia professional women’s champion is set to be crowned in Port Macquarie this Sunday 5 May.
Nine female professionals will line up to take on the 3.8km swim, 180km ride and 42.2km run, with none of them having stood on the top step of the podium at IRONMAN Australia before.
Wagga Wagga’s Radka Kahlefeldt is the top seeded female for Sunday’s race, having finished second at the event last year.
Kahlefeldt backed up her second with the same result at the Cairns Airport IRONMAN Asia-Pacific Championship Cairns in June, before finishing 18that her first ever VinFast IRONMAN World Championships appearance in Kona, Hawai’i.
“I’m feeling good, happy and motivated to race,” said Kahlefeldt. “I have lots of friends and support coming this year, especially my family. “I had a love/hate relationship with the race last year and that’s why I’m coming back to change my experience. The bike course was really tough and I ‘retired’ from triathlon many times during the race. I want to test myself and hopefully have only positive and happy memories from this one.
“Every IRONMAN race is hard no matter what the competition is like,” she said. “It’s all about good pacing, positive attitude and a good headspace. I hope it will be a great race for all the spectators at this amazing event.”
Regan Hollioake will line up for her first IRONMAN Australia as a professional, after stepping up to the top level this year. She kicked off her professional career with a seventh at IRONMAN 70.3 Tasmania in February before finishing fourth, and securing her spot at the IRONMAN World Championship, at the ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand in March.
“I love it! It’s a dream come true to be able to race with these superwomen, travel to beautiful locations and meet new people and friends from all over the world,” said Hollioake. “I’m learning so much every race and my performances are lifting with each challenge. It’s such an exciting time in professional triathlon with so many opportunities of which I’m jumping at and so thrilled to be a part of.
“It’s a small but competitive woman’s field this weekend and I expect some close racing. I haven’t raced many of the girls before so it’s a bit of unknown for me. I would expect Radka to take it out hard in the swim, she’s such a strong all round athlete she’s going to be the one to beat,” she said. “The weather forecast is looking challenging so I’m sure that will impact the race dynamics also. The bike is tough so I wouldn’t be surprised with some run blow ups to keep it interesting. Can’t wait to get out there and get at it.”
Hollioake said she took a lot out of her result at IRONMAN New Zealand, with her qualification for the IRONMAN World Championship an added bonus.
“My result in New Zealand was a great confidence booster to myself to confirm that I am a legitimate contender in races and someone that can be at the pointy end and win races in the future,” she said. “Being my first professional race, I made some mistakes and raced very conservatively. I’m now far more confident, in much better fitness and form and ready to race from the gun.
“I was thrilled to qualify for Nice so early in the season. Despite all the racing opportunities available to professionals this year I think the IRONMAN World Championship is still the biggest and most prestigious race on the calendar and I want to be a part of it,” said Hollioake.
While Hollioake is experiencing professional racing for the first time American Dede Griesbauer brings a wealth of experience to the IRONMAN Australia field.
At 53 Griesbauer is the oldest actively racing professional triathlete in the world, with a career at the top level that stretches back to 2005.
Griesbauer is taking on IRONMAN Australia for the first time, having last raced down under at IRONMAN Western Australia in 2014, and has settled well into Port Macquarie over the last week.
“I have really enjoyed being back in Australia. Everyone has been very friendly and very welcoming, from my Airbnb host, to the staff at the local pool, who have offered wonderful advice on the area, to the check-out folks at the grocery store who have all identified me as ‘not from here,’ it's always funny to be considered the one with the accent,” said Griesbauer. “I've scouted not only the course, but a number of outstanding coffee shops as well. I went to the Koala Hospital which was a wonderful experience., so much of IRONMAN racing is the cultural experience. As much as I have great memories from racing around the world, the things you remember are the people and the experiences outside of racing. Those are the true golden nuggets in the long run.
“At 53, I've been around the block a number of times. Raced a great many places around the world, but especially in the US. While I'm a fan of the familiar, and like a good routine, when I looked at the professional race schedule, there was a bit of ‘ho hum’ to it. So, coming to IRONMAN Australia, while I'd raced in Australia previously, this is a new course for me and a new experience. After 20 years new experiences are hard to come by,” she said. “The timing was also perfect. I'm scheduled to race RAAM (Race Across America) in June. It goes from Oceanside, California to Atlantic City, New Jersey. Racing here slotted in nicely so that I could spend the first part of the year focused on this race, then race RAAM, then return to triathlon in July with one or two more IRONMAN races to close out the year.”
Griesbauer is well known to IRONMAN fans, with the American a part of the commentary team for race broadcasts, focusing this year on the brand-new IRONMAN Pro Series.
“I love the opportunity I have as a commentator for IRONMAN. I have such a deep passion for the sport and love to share that with viewers, I love to share stories of the amazing athletes out on course, and help educate and bring new fans to the sport,” she said. “And selfishly I learn so much. When I am working in the booth at a race, I have the privilege of watching the best in our sport execute their craft. I've experienced a lot in the sport but what I haven't experienced, I've seen from the booth and I can use that in my own racing to make myself better, stronger, and smarter.”
Also lining up in Port Macquarie on Sunday is AFLW player turned professional triathlete Kate Gillespie-Jones, Kiwi Laura Armstrong and Australians Laura Brown, Emily Donker, Danyella Eberle and Laura Dennis.
Sunday’s event will be the 37th running of IRONMAN Australia, with athletes heading from across Australia and around the world to take on the iconic event, culminating with the famous IRONMAN finish line on Port Macquarie’s Town Green.
Athletes taking on IRONMAN Australia will contest a 3.8km swim, 180km ride and 42.2km run, with those racing IRONMAN 70.3 Port Macquarie facing a 1.9km swim, 90km ride and 21.1km run.
IRONMAN Australia and IRONMAN 70.3 Port Macquarie are supported proudly by the NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
More on IRONMAN Australia can be found at www.ironman.com/im-australia
IRONMAN Australia – Professional Women’s Start List
- Radka Kahlefeldt - AUS
- Regan Hollioake - AUS
- Kate Gillespie-Jones - AUS
- Dede Griesbauer - USA
- Laura Armstrong - NZL
- Laura Brown - AUS
- Emily Donker - AUS
- Danyella Eberle - AUS
- Laura Dennis - AUS