Tissink, Granger take Ironman Korea
August 26, 2002, Sokcho, Korea (First reported in TriBiz Reader):
South Africa's Raynard Tissink took the first Ironman win of his career at Sunday's Ironman Korea in the race's new home in the coastal resort city of Sokcho. Aussie Belinda Granger successfully defended the title she won at Ironman Asia last June when it was staged on Jeju Island.
Tissink took the lead on the run, trailed by a trio of Australians who would finish second, third and fourth separated by mere minutes&Mac247;Matt Stephens, Bradley White and Grant Webster. Rounding out the podium was Japan's Hideya Miyazuka in fifth.
Defending champion Yoshinori Tamura of Japan dropped out at the 21k mark of the run, according to Ironmanlive.com.
Canada's Jamie Cleveland, one of the early favorites, suffered mechanical troubles on the bike, then was penalized three minutes on the same ride. He went on to finish in 10:41:42.
In the women's race, Granger, countrywomen Belinda Halloran and Marissa Robbins and American Andrea Fisher came off the bike within minutes of each other. It then all came down to the run, when Granger moved to the front with Halloran in second less than two minutes back. Fisher was third, Australia's Susan Peter fourth and fellow Aussie Marissa Robbins in fifth.
In all, an estimated 850 athletes toed the start line and were able to compete for 50 Kona slots.
Complete results are at Ironmanlive.com.
(RESULTS)
---
Tamura hauls in Rhodes for IM Asia win
June 10, 2001, Jeju, Korea:
Yoshinori Tamura of Japan dug himself out of a big hole on the run to overtake IM Malaysia champ Bryan Rhodes and break the tape first at IM Asia on the island of Jeju, Korea.
Kiwi Rhodes came second out of the water behind South African Glen Gore, and rode away from everybody to come into T2 with an 8-minute gap.
Tamura was even further off the pace than that. He rolled in 13 minutes off the pace, then ran a 2:50 marathon to haul in all who were in front of him. He finished in 8:41:19 to Rhodes' 8:48:02.
Another Kiwi, veteran Scott Ballance, came third in 8:51:43. Rounding out the top five were Tabuya Shibata of Japan in 8:54:46 and Lance Muszlay from the U.S. in 8:54:42.
Belinda Granger and Raleigh Tennant, both from Australia, dueled during the entire race, with Granger holding off Tennant 9:37:20 to 9:42:37. Karyn Ballance (NZL) was third in 9:51:51.
(RESULTS)
-----
IM Korea is a haven for Kona hopefuls
May 1, 2001, Jeju, Korea (www.slowtwitch.com):
The new Ironman in Japan has taken the wind out of the sails of IM Asia's entrants. While Japan has already filled its 800-person field, Korea continues to struggle with less than 400 entries––half its last year's totals. This is the case even though Japan offers only 30 slots to age-group athletes, and Korea will send 70 to Hawaii.
While Korea has extended its entry window, as it now stands one in five of those entering the Korean Ironman will earn a slot to Kona.
Those wishing to cash in on the easiest chance in many years to garner a starting slot on the Kona line should contact Ironman Asia by May 15, the entry deadline. The race is June 10, so those who want to go have a week and a half to buy a 30-day advance purchase airline, and four solid weeks of training prior to the taper.
-----
IM Korea extends deadline
April 13, 2001, Jeju, Korea (www.slowtwitch.com):
Entries for the second annual Ironman Asia Triathlon––scheduled for Jeju Island off the southern mainland of Korea on June 10––has fallen behind the pace of neighboring IM Japan, so the Korean race has extended its deadline for entry to May 15th, 2001.
IM Japan filled on March 20, but its field is limited to only 800 entries. The course in Korea can accept almost twice that many athletes, yet is at just under half that level at present. It had 980 entrants, with 836 starters, in its inaugural year.
The race features $US 50,000 in prize money and 70 qualifying slots for Kona––to only 30 for Japan––so those willing to spend a little time and money might find this the easiest route to Hawaii. Indeed, it is almost certain that the competition for these slots will be the least intensive of all Ironman qualifier races. The first qualifying slot for men's 30-34 was taken with a time of 11:01:39, and 17 more slots in that age group were given away.
The race has other attractions as well, especially for international athletes. The island of Jeju is considered especially scenic, with a rich history and reasonable airfare for Pacific Rim travelers.
Course conditions are also improved. The earlier race date in 2001 now means a more temperate climate for the race. After major modifications were made to the run course, the hilly, hot course from last year is gone.
The unique 3.8km swim (the entire distance is both roped and buoyed!) is in an ocean that is both temperate and smooth, and the round-island 180km bike ride has been praised by those who’ve ridden it. The new run course is flat. The combination ought to add up to a smooth, fast race.
For further details go to the web site at www.ironmanasia.com
-----
Vabrousek, Leder are Ironman Asia winners
July 2, Cheju, Korea (from correspondent Nick Munting for www.slowtwitch.com):
Czech Republic triathlete Petr Vabrousek has claimed his second Ironman championship title this season when he won the Motorola Ironman Asia on the island of Cheju, Korea, on Sunday. Germany's Nicole Leder was the surprise winner in the women's race.
Vabrousek had won the inaugural Ironman South Africa in February and finished second in the Isuzu Ironman California in May. Here, he fought his way past American Ken Glah on the run. Glah had led race throughout the cycle leg, then maintained his runner-up position by fending off a strong challenge from Japan's Yoshinori Tamura.
Fourth was New Zealand's Scott Ballance, and Australia's Matt Stephens was fifth.
Paula Newby Fraser led the women's race until suffering two flat tires and getting passed by Australia's Louise Davoren. Davoren was then herself run down by Germany's Nicole Leder, who ran a great marathon to hold on for the win. Third place went to Japan's Noriko Yamakura, followed by Germany's Katja Meyer. Newby Fraser tired as the day went on, and is still to finish.
Australia's Robyn Roocke was an unfortunate DNF with a broken front wheel. In all, the 1000+ Ironmen and women experienced a tough course in humid and hot conditions, with rain just at the end of the swim.
------
First-year Ironman Asia race ready to roll
June 28, Cheju, Korea (from correspondent Nick Munting for www.slowtwitch.com):
With 48 hours left until the start of Sunday's first-ever Motorola Ironman Asia, the race has all the makings of a mini-Hawaii Ironman.
There are 1036 entries. These are topped by the USA's Ken Glah; New Zealand's Scott Balance; the Czech Republic's Petr Vabrousek; Aussies Sean Foster and Stephen Farrell and Japan's Yuji Fujuwara, Yoshinori Tamura and Yuji Adachi.
The women? USA's Paula Newby Fraser is looking fit, but faces an in-form Katja Mayer from Germany, and Aussies Louise Davoren and Robyn Roocke. Germany also has Nicole Leder, wife of Lothar. There is also Japan's top entrant, Noriko Yamakura.
The full field draws from 21 countries. Japan has the most entrants at 745, and Korea has a very encouraging 194. Then comes the USA with 31, Australia with 28 and Germany with 9. France has seven, then eight countries have two each, and there is one each from nine further countries.
Cheju may become a great race. The course has been checked and re-checked. The swim is an ocean swim and conditions are presently ideal (from an Aussie perspective, that is: They may be rougher by non-surfing nations' perspective - but the waters are essentially calm)
The ride is a rolling terrain, once-around-the-island ride on babyskin-smooth roads.
The three-lap run is around the village of Chungmun. It surrounds and finishes in the grounds of the incredible six-star Lotte Hotel. Most of the athletes have been commenting at length on the stunning hotel, incredible by any world standards.
-----
Ironman Asia adds major sponsors, more pros
June 9, Cheju Island, Korea (www.slowtwitch.com):
Just three weeks away from its debut, the Ironman Asia has now become the Motorola Ironman Asia with the addition of a major title sponsor.
Motorola Korea is one of several big-name sponsors that are supporting the first-year event on July 2, which has drawn about 1,100 competitors. Others supporting the race are airline sponsor Korean Air, drink sponsor Gatorade, retailer Elite Athletics Inc., hotel sponsor Lotte Hotel Cheju, apparel sponsor Zoot Sports and bike sponsor Cervelo.
The race, with $50,000, has also continued to fill out its pro field with the recent addition of American Ken Glah, three times the winner of Ironman Brazil. He joins pre-race favorites Petr Vabrousek (Czech Republic), Jason Metters (Australia) and Scott Ballance (New Zealand).
Leading women in the race are USA's Paula Newby-Fraser and Andrea Fisher, Australia's Robyn Roocke and Louise Davoren, and Germany's Katja Mayer and Nicole Leder.
Japan's female contenders for the prize money include Mika Sakane, winner of both the Japan Long Distance Championships at Sado, and the Tokunoshima Triathlon, in 1999; and Noriko Yamakura, third in the Long-Distance Champs at Sado last year.
Top Japanese men include Yoshinori Tamura, winner of the All Japan Triathlon at Miyakojima in 1998, and Yuji Adachi.
------
Newby Fraser aims for Ironman win No. 23 in Korea
May 30, Cheju, Korea (www.slowtwitch.com):
For a first-time Ironman in a faraway venue, the Ironman Asia in Cheju, Korea, on July 2 has drawn a considerable foreign field.
Those with an eye on the US$50,000 in prize money include Paula Newby Fraser, the Californian who has already won another first-time Ironman (her 22nd win since 1986) this year, the Ironman South Africa in February.
She leads a list of women's competitors that includes Australia's Robyn Roocke and Louise Davoren; Germany's Katja Mayer and Nicole Leder (the wife of Lothar Leder); and other Americans Andrea Fisher and Kelli Montgomery.
The men's field is marked by Czech Republic's Petr Vabrousek, winner of the Ironman South Africa and second in the Ironman California earlier this month. He will be challenged by New Zealand's Scott Ballance; Australia's Jason Metters, Robert Meharry and David Meade; and Americans Brent Imonen and Stuart Smith.
------
Ironman Asia website now taking online registration
December 6, Cheju, Korea (www.slowtwitch.com):
Ironman Asia, which will alternate between Korea and Japan starting with the debut Korean race on July 2, is now taking entries online.
The official entry form for the July 2 race is now available on the website as a PDF file. There is a new e-mail for general questions.
The actual race office is at:
Ironman Asia Race Office
Moto-Akasaka Kikutei BLDG. IMG Tokyo
1-7-18 Moto-Akasaka
Minato-ku, Tokyo
107-0051 Japan
Tel: +81-3-5770-1890
Fax: +81-3-3470-1397
 |
 |
 |
• Tissink, Granger take Ironman Korea
• Tamura hauls in Rhodes for IM Asia win
• IM Korea a haven for Kona hopefuls
• IM Korea extends entry deadline
• Vabrousek, Leder are Ironman Asia winners
• First-year Ironman Asia race ready to roll
• Ironman Asia adds major sponsors, more pros
• Newby Fraser aims for Ironman win No. 23 in Korea
• Ironman Asia website now taking online registration