A young Australian pro is hoping to find success at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship by doing things his own way.
Josh Amberger will make an exception to his usual rule for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship on the Sunshine Coast next month. The 27-year-old triathlete has never possessed a penchant for early morning training, but will need to be up bright and early for the 6:15 a.m. race start when the championship race starts in Mooloolaba on September 4th.
Amberger, a former ITU triathlete, has taken to the half distance and has dedicated his year to the world championship race on home turf. He was brought up on the Gold Coast but is now based in near-by Brisbane, training in the north-west of the city and in the nearby mountains.
"It's not a super popular training spot but I like to train on my own. I am not a morning person, so I train when it suits me and I enjoy my own company,"Amberger says.
The chance of a home world championship has really sparked the Queenslander who has not missed the podium in five IRONMAN 70.3 races this year, including victory in Calgary in his final shakedown race.
Says Amberger: "In the past you would bust your backside for a few months in the U.S. before a world championship, by which time you would be low on motivation and energy. Being a home world championship means I have prepared at home, in an environment I know and can race in home surrounded by friends and family. I am super motivated by the opportunity."
The athlete has transitioned well to the longer distance of IRONMAN 70.3, to the point where the bike—the discipline that he needed the most work in—has become his strength.
But while there is one long climb on the bike course, Amberger does not believe his biking strength will be the key for the world championship: "I think the race is hopefully going to break up before the bike in the open water and on the sand run to transition. There’s a hill straight out of T1 which should soften the legs. The bike gets stepped up every year with guys riding like maniacs. The bike could be full throttle, but I hope it breaks up but really it would not surprise if it didn't." He adds, "The Europeans and Americans have not had much experience on the rougher chip roads we have here and in New Zealand so that could unsettle some."
Amberger at a glance
Biggest change from Olympic distance racing:
"Definitely on the bike. You have to put in a big investment into time trialling for two hours against sitting in a bunch. The bike is the biggest adjustment for sure."
The course:
"We will welcome all the Americans and the Europeans here to what is a unique but I think a fair race. The ocean swim is something we have all been brought up on and I think the bike course is really fair."
His IRONMAN 70.3 resume:
Amberger has five victories over the distance in Calgary, Port Macquarie (twice), and Western Sydney.