Quality professional field set to take on IMWA in 2010
Patrick Vernay (New Caledonia) will be back in 2010 to defend his SunSmart Ironman Western Australia and continue his dominance of the elite Ironman racing scene in Australia.
(Busselton, WA) October 26, 2010 - Dual winners, course record holders, the defending champion and this year’s Ford Ironman World Championship fastest marathoner are some of the racing credentials being brought to Western Australia this December.
The 2010 SunSmart Ironman Western Australia boasts a professional field with a depth rarely seen at the seven-year-old event.
Defending champion Patrick Vernay (NCL) will be looking to continue his formidable form on Australian soil, which includes four consecutive wins at Ironman Australia and two wins at Busselton.
He will be hunted by 2009 runner-up Scott Neyedli (GBR), who will be a little fresher than Vernay after pulling out of the Ironoman World Championship race last month just a few kilometres into the bike leg, while Vernay pushed on to a top-20 finish.
Perth-based Neyedli and local professional Courtney Ogden have proved crowd favourites with the Busselton spectators.
Sydney’s Pete Jacobs, who ran the fastest run leg at the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, will be looking to see if he can improve on that time over a flat course in cooler conditions. Jacobs will likely be first out of the water at Busselton: he holds the swim course record.
Melbourne’s Jason Shortis , the course record-holder, will return for his sixth Ironman Western Australia with hopes of a third win on the course.
Some of Australia’s other top pros have signed up for the race, including South Australian Matty White, and Melbourne’s Luke Bell.
Bell finished 52nd at Kona but otherwise has had a good season including a win at Ironman 70.3 Cancun, after breaking both elbows in a bike accident earlier this year.
Inaugural Ironman Western Australia winner Rebekah Keat goes into the race as women’s favourite. Like Neyedli Keat will also be feeling fresh after debilitating cramps ended her World Championship race prematurely.
Western Australian professional Kate Bevilaqua has had a big year of racing and finished a creditable 34th at Kona, with a 5th at Ironman 70.3 Cancun just three weeks before.
She has had several top five finishes at Ironman Western Australia so will definitely be looking for a podium finish.
Photo Credit: Delly Carr
