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A strong field of Pros will be heading for the starting line of the Spec-Savers Ironman South Africa on Sunday, 13 April 2008. Entries closed with over 1600 athletes and it very exciting to see the growing number of South African Pros and amateurs included in the line up, as well as a strong international line up.
This year’s race promises to be another head-to-head challenge between South Africa’s Raynard Tissink and double IMSA champ Gerrit Schellens of Belgium. Both athletes will be out to prove their worth making for another nail biter of a finish. Raynard will be keen to put as many km’s between himself and Gerrit while out on the cycle route as it is a well known fact that once Schellen’s steps onto the run circuit he simply flies through the course and even the biggest of leads seems to be swallowed up by him.
Raynard began the year on a positive note by winning the Spec-Savers Ironman 70.3 South Africa in early January. This victory came a mere six weeks after he finished in second place at IM Western Australia. He had an extremely successful 2007- a highlight being a win under difficult conditions at IM Korea.
Gerrit on the other hand has been forced to take things easy due to a broken shoulder that he sustained when he was hit by a car while training. But this hasn’t stopped the Belgium from being determined to claim his third Ironman South Africa title. But neither Raynard nor Gerrit will have a clear shot at the title if the rest of the Pro field have anything to say about it. Marcel Zamora Perez (Spain), who has won IM France and IM Monaco in both 2006 and 2007, is going to be a strong contender for the title. Both these races fall under the Triangle banner and Zamora Perez will be looking to add IM South Africa to his already growing list of Triangle race victories. Steffen Liebetrau (Germany), Stephen Bayliss (Great Britain) as well as South Africa’s Carl Storm will all be racing for a podium position. Storm finished in 5th place at both the 2007 Spec-Savers Ironman SA and the 2008 Ironman 70.3 SA.
Once the ladies race unfolds a new champion will be crowned as Natasha Badmann will unfortunately not be back to defend her title in the Friendly City. Natasha suffered a shoulder injury at the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii last year crushing her dreams of adding other victory to her already full list. But 2009 will hopefully see the “Swiss Miss” returning to South African shores.
This leaves the ladies title wide open and Edith Niederfringer (Italy), who ran second to Natasha last year, will be eager to stamp her authority on the race. Bella Comerford, who finished in 3rd place at IMSA in 2007, is another strong contender along with the likes of Lucie Zelenkova (Czech Rep) and Ali Fitch (Australia) who will both be eager to grab hold of the title. Keeping the South African flag flying will be Lisa Baumann and Davera Magson.
Ironman wouldn’t be Ironman – one of the greatest endurance races in world – without the hard fought battles that the day is bound to yield and we are looking forward to a race that highlights the human spirit and pushes the body to the limit. We are expecting a race to remember!
Website: www.ironmansouthafrica.com .
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