January 28, 2002, Langkawi, Malaysia (www.slowtwitch.com):
New Zealand’s Bryan Rhodes set a new course record and successfully defended his title at Ironman Malaysia on Sunday. German Lothar Leder, a pre-race favorite, took third after being passed in the run by Aussie Jason Shortis.
In the women’s race, the title went to Danielle Florens of Mauritius, who claimed victory on the run over a small group of Japanese age-groupers who had taken the lead over the swim and bike.
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Rhodes, Cheney sail to victories in Malaysia
January 28, 2001, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (www.slowtwitch.com):
As veteran observers of Ironman racing know, anything can happen in an Ironman. But rarely have two such overwhelming favorites failed to win in both the men's and women's categories. Lothar Leder and Natascha Badmann can take solace that neither was the only one to finish off the podium's top spot.
Kiwi Bryan Rhodes -- one of the most prolific racers on the pro circuit -- and Aussie Belinda Cheney overcame heat, humidity, and a pair of the sport's best racers to notch a pair of victories and take home US$8500 each.
Cheney was not unknown coming in, as the 24 year old had already raised eyebrows with a strong second-place showing in Canberra six weeks ago. This was Cheney's day, as she outdueled Badmann in all three disciplines while coming home in 9:44:12 in IM Malaysia's second year.
Badmann, who had to use a borrowed bike because her own Cheetah failed to arrive in Malaysia in one piece, gamely raced home in second place, 13 minutes down, and Australia's veteran Susan Peter -- last year's winner -- came home in third, another 30 minutes behind Badmann. Peter would have liked to reproduce last year’s performance on this day, a time that would have placed her two minutes in front of Badmann this year.
Rhodes was first out of the water, just ahead of South Africa's Glen Gore, and he never looked back. His 8:43:54 was a good time considering Malaysia's heat and humidity (Kona-like on one of Kona’s bad days). Rhodes broke last year's course record by six minutes. Germany's Leder came off the bike 8 minutes down. He has bridged a gap like that many times in his career, but on this day it was a bridge too far. He finished three and a half minutes back.
South African Raynard Tissink was third with 8:56:08, Canada's Garrett MacFadyen fourth, and Gore fifth. MacFadyen blitzed the bike course with the fastest ride of the day, a commonplace effort in any Ironman event in which MacFadyen competes. He came into the bike-to-run transition third after giving up 13 minutes in the water.
Ironman Malaysia gave away US$50,000 in prize money this year, as well as 30 IM Hawaii qualifying slots. Last year's inaugural race attracted 99 starters, and this year's event saw 320 sign up, and just short of 300 start.
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First of 2001 IM races just hours away in Malaysia
January 28, 2001, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (www.slowtwitch.com):
Natascha Badmann is the heavy favorite to win IM Malaysia's women's race, but the odds have somewhat narrowed in the last few hours. Triathlonlive has learned that Badmann has had trouble with here Cheetah bike, which has caused her -- and race officials -- to have to scramble for a replacement. She will reportedly ride a Cannondale in the race.
Information is scant, and Triathlonlive has no confirmation as to whether the Cheetah, on which both she and Lori Bowden have had good luck (Bowden now rides a Specialized), was broken in transit or in some other way. What remains to be seen is how the change in equipment will test Badmann's nerve and focus.
She'll be challenged by a pair of Aussie veterans, Robin Roocke and defending Malaysia champ Robin Peter; and a pair of Aussie youngsters, Amy Fardell (20) and Belinda Cheney (24). The veterans have a history of durability, quite useful in heat and humidity that can make Kona's weather appear downright pleasant. The newcomers have an abundance of speed in their legs, and Cheney comes off an impressive Half-Ironman showing in Canberra a little over a month ago.
Lothar Leder is the race's other heavyweight. He'll be challenged by the early speed of Glen Gore and Jason Shortis, and on the bike leg by Canada's Garrett MacFadyen. Also racing is Bryan Rhodes, Stephen Farrell, and Florian Balluais. Last year's fourth place finisher in this race, Australian Matt Koorey, also returns.
The race will have over 300 attendees, triple last year's inaugural total, and a field not equaled by the Hawaiian Ironman until its fourth year.
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Badmann won't have IM Malaysia in a walk
January 14, 2001, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (www.slowtwitch.com):
She's the reigning champion in Kona. She can ride the bike like nobody's business. When she's on it's almost impossible to stop her. And yes, she makes it all look so easy.
But Natascha Badmann is not the only female pro entered in Ironman Malaysia, and there are some intriguing -- if unproven -- entrants in addition to the Swiss star.
Simply on past performance alone, Australia's Robin Roocke is the next best racer in the field. She was 3rd in last month's Canberra Half, which seems to have been the consensus tune-up for Malaysia. Earlier in the year she was the runner-up in IM Switzerland, and prior to that 3rd in IM New Zealand. She won the Port of Tauranga Half a year ago, and is a past winner of Almere. She's steady, and if she has no particular strength, she has no glaring weakness.
Then there's the defending Malaysia champ, Susan Peter. She's long in the tooth for a pro at 38-years-old, and has finished 6th, 9th, and 7th in IM Australia over the last three years. Like Roocke she's steady, but probably not going to get a lot faster.
Perhaps more intriguing is the 24-year old Aussie Belinda Cheney. She bested Roocke in Canberra a month ago by 10 minutes, and was only three minutes behind winner Emma Carney. She has speed to burn, winning several sprints last year. She was third in her first IM, in South Africa, early last year, and placed 9th in IM Australia. She hasn't shown stunning talent above a half, but as Ironman racing goes she's only a baby. She's certain to be a long way ahead of Badmann out of the water, and it'll be interesting to see how well she uses her speed.
Jane Fardell is the sleeper of the group. She's only 20-years-old, and was the second fastest overall amateur while winning the 16-19 worlds in Montreal in '99. She does everything well, and will be very quick out of the water. Perhaps she and Cheney can work together early on during the bike. Last year she placed third in an ETU cup race, beating Annie Emmerson, Leanda Cave, and Helene Salomon. How 'bout this for a learning curve: She was 17th just over a year ago in the Australian Long-Course Championship (Roocke was 2nd, and Peter 4th), and 9 months later placed 5th in Embrun, France (picking a hellish race for her first Ultra). Is Embrun still in her legs, or did it just make those young legs tougher?
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Male pros show for IM Malaysia this year
January 12, 2001, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (www.slowtwitch.com):
In North America or Continental Europe it seems you can put on an Ironman anywhere and any time and the race will fill. That's not necessarily the case in other parts of the world.
Australia seems to have little trouble filling its field, while New Zealand and Japan perennially struggle to reach 800. IM Malaysia (to be staged January 28) definitely had the first-year blues in 2000, with an overall field about the size of Kona's pro field alone (99 racers started Malaysia's inaugural event).
But that was the case in the early days of Lanzarote, too. Malaysia is having a better time of it in its sophomore year, with better than 300 athletes signed up as of last week. These starters will vie for the 30 Kona slots being given away (15 were awarded last year).
Pros are also making the voyage to the South Asian tropical peninsula, drawn by US$50,000 in prize money (double last year's amount).
Japan's Kaoru Matsuda broke the finish tape first last year. He's back to defend, but he'll find the field has increased in size and stature.
In the men's race, Lothar Leder will be the heavy favorite. But he's not the only big hitter showing up. South Africa's Glen Gore has moved up to Ironman distance, and brings a very fast swim/run with him.
Tough competition may come from the Col Stewart-trained pair, Aussie Jason Shortis (4th in IM Switzerland last year, and 2nd to Craig Walton in the Canmberra half last month), and Canadian Garrett MacFadyen (5th in last year's IM Canada). McFadyen swims like a rock, but had a bike split equivalent to Peter Reid's when they dueled in IM Canada, and a split equal to Normann Stadler when both raced IM Australia. But MacFadyen does his damage after giving up a huge amount in the water. Count on Stewart to have gotten MacFadyen faster in the water and on the run. Shortis hasn't MacFadyen's bike speed, but he can run.
A fast finisher in IM Australia last year (3rd overall), is Aussie Matt Stevens, also entered in Malaysia. Joining all of the above is the oft-racing Bryan Rhodes, Kiwi Stephen Farrell (7th, '00 IM NZ), and Frenchman Florian Balluais (6th '00 IM SUI, 6th in '00 IM BRA).
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Ironman champ Badmann for IM Malaysia
December 18, Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia (www.slowtwitch.com):
Both the latest Hawaii Ironman champion, Natascha Badmann, and the original Hawaii Ironman, race founder John Collins, will travel to Malaysia for the January 28 race.
Badmann will race, and Collins will preside. Collins was a VIP guest last year at three other Ironman events -- New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii. This year, he and his wife, Judy Collins, are planning on racing the Ironman New Zealand on March 3.
Badmann faces a field that includes seven other female pros, including Australia's Susan Peter, Belinda Cheney and Robyn Roocke. Peter, 37, won the first Ironman Malaysia race last May. The race has moved up in the Ironman calendar -- to late January -- in order to attract a stronger field of pros and more mid-season interest from Australian age-groupers.
For the men's field, Japan's Kaoru Matsuda -- last year's Malaysia champ -- returns. He will be challenged by New Zealand's Bryan Rhodes and England's Matt Belfield.
The switch to January has resulted in a tremendous upturn in registration. Last year's event attracted a small field of just 100 or so. The 2001 race is set for about 250 entries from 30 countries. The pros are racing for US$50,000, and the age-groupers look forward to 30 qualifying slots for Hawaii.
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First-year Ironman Malaysia closes out at 130
May 7, 2000, Langkawi, Malaysia (www.slowtwitch.com):
Organizers of the Ironman Malaysia, who had said as recently as March that they were looking for as many as 300 starters in their first-year race on May 28, have settled for a smaller field.
When registration closed on April 30, the total registered stood at 130. Triathletes are coming from Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan and United States. Malaysia (34) and Japan (19) are the best-represented countries.
Organizers have taken an upbeat approach to the race, which is paying $25,000 in prize money and offering 15 qualifying slots for the Hawaii Ironman. They point out that the Ironman Australia event started 16 years ago with just 160 athletes -- but now attracts about 1,300 triathletes through eight qualifying races.
Further supporting his point that even good things start small, Dato Sri Ram Sarma, the race's managing director, added in a letter on the event's website: "Ironman started 22 years ago with only 15 men in Hawaii. Even in its second year, 50 people
registered but only 15 actually raced ... I am confident that Ironman Malaysia Triathlon will gain similar popularity (to Ironman Australia), if not better."
Even Lew Friedland believed as much when he took a one-day visit to the race venue in early March on his tour of Pacific and Asian Ironman courses. "Langkawi has the potential to grow the way Ironman has grown in Australia. It will start small as any other qualifying rounds, but it has the potential of attracting 800 to over 1000 participants in a few years' time. This will translate into millions in tourist revenue for the island," Friedland said at the time of his visit.
It is difficult to determine just which pros will show up, but one of the best stories of the race promises to be the best-known Malaysian woman in the field, Elizabeth Yeo. She is a mother-of-four who has only done triathlon for about three seasons.
The Hawaii slots will go to two pros, with the 13 others intended for age-groupers.
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"Ironman Malaysia" now confirmed for May 28 date
January 7, 2000, Langkawi, Malaysia (www.ironmanlive.com):
May 28 is the new date for the first Ironman Langkawi Malaysian Triathlon, which was previously announced for May 21.
The new date loosens up the Ironman schedule for May 20-21, which already includes Ironman California on the Saturday (also a debut Ironman, at Camp Pendleton, outside San Diego), and over in Europe, Ironman Lanzarote, also on the Saturday.
The Ironman Langkawi will have 15 qualifying spots, plus US$25,000 in prize money. It will be on Langkawi Island in the north of Malaysia, near the Thai border. After a 3.8k swim in the bay near Dataran Helang, the 180k bike course takes competitors over 2-1/2 laps of the island. A one-loop run, 42.2k, brings the competitors back home.
Inquiries should go to: Ironman Langkawi, Liem Sdn Bhd, No 16&18, 1st floor, Wisma Sarma, Jalan Yap Ah Shak, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 603-292 6366 - Fax: 603-298 3277. E-mail is (mailto:srsgroup@tm.net.my); also check the website at http://www.ironmanlangkawi.com.my
Graham Hannan, formerly with the International Management Group in Sydney and aligned with the Minolta Ironman Australia, will assist in organizing the Malaysian event.
Asia's second Ironman for 2000, Ironman Asia, will be on Cheju Island, South Korea, on July 2. There, 100 slots are offered for the 2000 Hawaii Ironman on
October 14. Entries will be taken via the website.
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• Rhodes defends in Malaysia
• Rhodes, Cheney sail to victories in Malaysia
• First of 2001 IM races just hours away in Malaysia
• Badmann won't have IM Malaysia in a walk
• Male pros show for IM Malaysia this year
• Ironman champ Badmann for IM Malaysia
• First-year Ironman Malaysia closes out at 130
• "Ironman Malaysia" now confirmed for May 28 date