IM Australia

Bowden wows ‘em again in Australia

April 9, 2000, Forster-Tuncurry, NSW, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

Canada’s Lori Bowden is still breaking records: On Sunday, she won the Minolta Ironman Australia in course-record time, 8:55:08 -- a performance that ranks as the third-best ever time by a woman over the Ironman distance.

Bowden, also the Ironman Australia winner in 1999 -- a prelude to her winning the Hawaii Ironman last October -- was well ahead of Sian Welch, the American runner-up in 9:26:04. Brazil’s Fernanda Keller, a crowd favorite wherever she goes, finished third in 9:29:27.

Not only did Bowden’s time break the course record, 9:01:29 by Netherland’s Thea Sybesma in 1993. It falls in as the third-best ever Ironman, behind two by Paula Newby-Fraser. (For those who like lists, Newby Fraser’s faster races were 8:50:23 at Ironman Europe in 1994 and 8:55:00 at Ironman Europe in 1992.

Bowden, 32, raced hard from the start. First she swam 56:42, then re-set Sian Welch’s Ironman Australia bike record (4:56) with a 4:51:39 split. Lastly she re-set her own course record on the run (3:08) with a 3:06:45. As she left the bike/run transition, reports her agent Murphy Reinschreiber, the speculation raged that, if she could match her run split of 2:59 from Hawaii, she could break Newby-Fraser’s world record.

That didn’t happen, but that didn’t matter. Once she finished, observers immediately started comparing her effort today with what Newby-Fraser achieved in Ironman Europe. The Ironman Australia course, Reinschreiber noted, is well-known for its rough spots and pot holes, and is not considered as fast as the Ironman Europe course. Further, Newby-Fraser’s best time at Ironman Australia was a mere 9:08:22 (from 1997).

Bowden was understandably thrilled with her first sub-nine hour Ironman. It was just the 10th time that a woman has ever gone under 9 hours for an Ironman. And, at 14th overall, she was was only 24:29 behind the men's winner -- Normann Stadler in 8:30:37. That was easily the closest margin for any woman has come overall, ever, in finishing behind the winning male’s time.

Welch, 33, posted a bike split of 5:03:01 and a run split of 3:29:54. Her runner-up effort more than made up for an emotional DNF just five weeks ago in the Air New Zealand Ironman.

(RESULTS)

Legh, Bowden favored in Ironman Oz

April 6, 2000, Forster-Tuncurry, NSW, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

Sunday's 15th Ironman Australia race at Forster-Tuncurry, New South Wales, features a record starting field of 1,288 (up from 1,164 starters in 1999).

The race for first is expected to fall to Australia's Chris Legh mixing with several Germans, notably Jurgen Hauber and Normann Stadler. For women, Canada's Lori Bowden meets American Sian Welch and Brazil's Fernanda Keller.

The men's field is minus one Matt Belfield, last year's English winner of Ironman Lanzarote who gave his early word to Ironman Australia organizers that he would race there. He was assigned bib No. 2, behind Legh, but now appears to be a no-show. Organisers have had no official communication from him, but by all appearances, he is now heading straight back to Lanzarote and bypassing the Australia race.

Here are the top starters for Sunday's race:

- Men from Argentina: Luciano Grimaldi (23), Juan Mutti (32); Eduardo Sturla (26)
- Men from Australia: Damien Angus (Malvern, Victoria, 26); Will Carroll (Kirrawee, NSW, 23); Rod Cedaro (Runnaway Bay, Queensland, 37); Mitch Dean (Marcus Beach, Queensland, 21); Troy Fidler (Spring Hill, Queensland, 31); Sean Foster (Essendon, Victoria, 29); Dean Gavan (Beecroft, NSW, 27); Justin Granger (Randwick, NSW, 38); David Harrigan (Coffs Harbour, NSW, 24); Patrick Hofer (St. Lucia, Queensland, 34); Matt Koory (Manly, NSW, 30): Chris Legh (Donvale, Victoria, 27); Garrett MacFadyen (Mermaid Waters, Queensland, 33); David Meade (Bendigo, Victoria, 29); Robert Meharry (Bendigo, Victoria, 30); Evan Moore (Mt Waverley, Victoria, 27); Brett Newton (Norman Park, Queensland, 29); Paul Obrien (Cronulla, NSW, 24); David Owen (Kangaroo Ground, Victoria, 31); Stuart Shaw (Monash, ACT, 22); Shane Smith (Falls Creek, Victoria, 30); Nathan Stewart (Merewether, NSW, 21); John Van Wisse (Springvale, Victoria, 27); Grant Webster (Cronulla, NSW, 29)
- Men from Canada: Charlie Cooper (30)
- Men from Chile: Daniel Labarca (36)
- Men from Finland: Kari Gerkman (37)
- Men from Germany: Jurgen Hauber (31); Rainer Muller-Horner (33); Normann Stadler (27)
- Men from Great Britain: Matt Stephens (29)
- Men from Japan: Hideya Miyazuka (36)
- Men from New Zealand: Scott Ballance (34); Tony O'Hagan (33)
- Men from South Africa: Jan Van Rooyen (28)
- Men from USA: Chad Hawker (26); Douglas Marocco (36), Rip Oldmeadow (29)
- Men from Zimbabwe: Andrew Foggin (29)

- Women from Argentina: Barbara Buenahora (23)
- Women from Australia: Kim Beckinsale (Tarragindi, Queensland, 32); Belinda Cheney (Waramanga, ACT, 23); Alison Coote (Currumbin Waters, Queensland, 32); Louise Davoren (Paradise Point, Queensland, 29); Belinda Granger (Randwick, NSW, 29); Anne Martin (Brighton, Victoria, 32); Natalie Moller (Blackburn South, Victoria, 31); Angela O'Connor (Graceville, Queensland, 33); Susan Peter (Evanston Park, South Australia, 37); Jane Warren (Warrnambool, Victoria, 34)
- Women from Brazil: Fernanda Keller (36)
- Women from Canada: Lori Bowden (32); Isabelle Gagnon (25); Jacqueline Lewis (34); Cherie Trudeau-Cooper (31)
- Women from Germany: Birgit Rossberg (31)
- Women from Scotland: Ashley Ramsay (26)

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John Collins: On Top, Down Under

From Aussie correspondent Nick Munting:

March 31, 2000, Sydney, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

The founding father of Ironman is alive and well, and spending his second week 'downunder' in a month.

Having visited the Air New Zealand Ironman in March, John Collins and his wife, Judy, have returned to check out the Minolta Ironman Australian Triathlon. That will be 9th April in Forster- Tuncurry on Australia's Holiday Coast.

Collins has proven immensely popular with triathletes down under, especially the age-groupers who make up the Ironman numbers -- as well as make the events the emotional roller coasters that they can be. Collins understands the ethos; he understands the every-day people who try for the ultimate goal that is the Ironman triathlon.

Hell, when it's all said and done, he should. The man invented the distance, the race and the name! But there's more to Collins, a former U.S. naval officer who, as a commander, leapt on stage (in a sober state, he stresses -- as was the audience) and proposed that they join the Waikiki Rough Water swim, Around Oahu Bike Ride and the Honolulu Marathon. The clock would start at the gun and remain ticking, he continued, and whoever won, they'd call the Ironman!

There had been a debate over the toughest fittest athletes, mainly among the runners and swimmers in whose company both John and Judy had spent a great deal of time. John decided to throw in cycling, as he'd heard the Belgian Eddie Merckx had just set a world record for VO2 max (only it wasn't called that back then!)

With his Marines pestering him for the next eight months about "doin' that three-part thing", John finally decided to organise the race. Eighteen turned up, three were sane, so 15 started with 12 finishers. The rest, as they say, is now triathlon history.

What hasn't been so well chronicled is that John and much of his family also started in that event in San Diego earlier in the '70s, the one that is now regarded as the first modern triathlon ...

Well, the military man that was, is now, at 64, still fit, still into adventure. He spent his time in New Zealand bungy jumping and jet boating, plus considerably more time talking to the age-group athletes. He even reminded them at the Air New Zealand Ironman presentation that this is their sport and they should learn to vote for it ...

Landing in Australia, John and Judy's first request was to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge ... and to compete in a local race. No problem.

The Collins climbed the bridge this week. Today they head north to join one of the major Sydney swim squads as they complete their final run-up to the Ironman Australian race, now just days away. Having trained, they'll no doubt join in the traditional Aussie BarBQ that usually follows these things.

"I've learned one thing in Australia," John says. "You don't throw a shrimp on the 'barbie', you throw a prawn!" That's right John, though it's more likely to be a sausage, steak or 'chop' ...

John will tomorrow compete in the final round of the MBF Sprint Series - Round 6 in Sydney at Kurnell in the south at the Captain Cook's Memorial (the other one is just down the coast from Kona!). He will also stay on for the series' wrapup prize giving. About 900 athletes are due to race tomorrow ... yet with John there, it may go 1000!

Following a demanding media schedule (everyone, it seems, wants some of his time) John will head for Ironman Australia country at Forster-Tuncurry on Tuesday. He will spend the week with those who now follow his dream.

He's in touch with the sport, he appreciates its climb to Olympic status, but he does worry that it's lost its origins of non-drafting rides. A fierce believer in individual effort, he decries the drafting format. He believes it will never be as exciting as the chess game of the long-course strategy. He's also had some words to say on health and Ironman, and when a 'new' chum to triathlon -- schooled only in short-course distances -- asked if he thought Greg Welch's retirement could have been caused by Ironman competition, he got an instant education in the 'other' half of the sport!

Of course, John also admits there's still one argument that has never been answered fully in competition within triathlon. And that's, just who IS the fittest? The swimmers, cyclists or runners?

"You know, we started the sport drawing from other disciplines, and we've produced a new style of athlete - the triathlete. He or she is neither a swimmer, a cyclist nor a runner first, but a new breed of athlete entirely, drawn from strengths in what ever the discipline they arrived at triathlon from."

While not globetrotting, John and Judy now reside in Panama, where they are still organising races. "We've had to put the price up a little from the original $5-00 for Ironman," he says. "The bigger the race, the more it costs, and it definitely costs more in this day and age!"

He still believes in value for money. However, if you enter a John Collins-organised race, there will be enough for a beer afterwards! -- Nick Munting

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Ironman Australia: Tune in to the party

April 6, 2000, Forster-Tuncurry, NSW, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

The Minolta Ironman Australia Triathlon is set for Sunday, April 6. That’s easy to follow on the Internet if you’re in Australia. But if you are, say, on the east coast of America, better start sitting down at your computer on Saturday, 4:15 p.m.

That’s the corresponding time for the Sunday-morning start in Oz. If you’re a Saturday Night Live watcher, plan on missing a bit of that if you want to catch the winner’s via the Sportsvision live “webcast” on the Ironmanlive.com website.

This is the third Ironman that the New York City-based Sportsvision folks have pioneered. The first, of course, was a flop by all admissions: Lessons were learned all around after the Hawaii Ironman webcast hardly delivered what it had promised.

By March, however, the technology and delivery had been perfected in time to cover the Ironman New Zealand from Taupo. Now, the moving-picture show has moved on to the twin New South Wales towns of Foster and Tuncurry, where Ironman Australia takes place.

Already Ironman-watchers can enjoy pre-race features and photos, as the website http://www.ironmanlive.com has been “live” since Wednesday. Starting at 3:45pm Saturday (EST), they can log on for the pre-race show, followed by the actual start on the race. New 100k and 300k video feeds are in place to offer a higher bandwidth for faster downloads and better image quality.

Ironman Australia: “Come to the Party!”

April 4, 2000, Forster-Tuncurry, NSW, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

That’s the theme -- “Come to the Party!” -- for the 15th Minolta Ironman Australian Triathlon, and three triathletes in particular have zeroed in on what that exactly means.

Three men are coming back to the race for their 15th time on Sunday. They spotted a good party the first time they raced, which happened to be 1986, the very first Ironman Australia.

The three are Bob Scammel, a 48-year-old from East Maitland, New South Wales; Dick Quinn, a 53-year-old from Hallidays Point, New South Wales; and Dave Ross, a 49-year-old from Randwick, New South Wales.

They are the leaders in a small but growing group of “Legends”: Ironman Australia entrants who have completed 10 or more races there. Their bib numbers will identify them as those who have spent more time than anyone going over the course at Foster-Tuncurry than any other Australian triathlete.

But the biggest Ironman “legend” of all who will be in place will be John Collins, the 64-year-old American who came up with the original idea for an Ironman race in Hawaii. Now living in Panama, Collins has flown in as a guest of the race, just as he did for the Air New Zealand Ironman last month. And, no, he’s not racing -- but he can be counted as the most qualified spectator and commentator of all.

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Sian Welch opts for Ironman Australia

March 15, 2000, Forster-Tuncurry, NSW, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

American Sian Welch, the race favorite who ended up the race’s biggest-name drop-out in the Air New Zealand Ironman two weeks ago, is ready to race again. This time, she is aiming to win the Ironman Australia on April 9.

Winner of Ironman Australia in 1998, Welch has strong ties to Australia. She is married to Greg Welch, the popular Aussie who was forced to retire from racing in January with a serious heart condition. When Greg retired, Sian said in a pre-Ironman New Zealand press conference, she “lost her favorite training partner.”

Now Welch is coaching Welch, and Sian is racing with her husband in mind every time out. The couple is currently in Sydney, Greg’s hometown, where he is actually undergoing a second major surgery for 'v-tach'.

Welch’s addition to the field makes for the most interesting women’s starting list ever. Canada’s Lori Bowden, the 1999 winner, is the pre-race favorite, and challengers include Welch, Brazil’s Fernanda Keller, Canada’s Jacqueline Lewis and Isabelle Gagnon, and Argentina’s Barbara Buenahora.

Top Aussies there will be Louise Davoren, Belinda Smith, Kim Beckinsale, Susan Peter, Jane Warren and Anne Martin.

South Australia’s Robyn Roocke is usually high among the Ironman Australia finishers, but not this year. Roocke’s overall effort in New Zealand -- where she finished third -- has left her drained. She has indicated her next race will instead be Ironman Lanzarote on May 20.

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Belfield takes on Ironman Australia

February 22, 2000, Forster-Tuncurry, New South Wales, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

England's Matt Belfield -- the Ironman Lanzarote winner foiled in his last two Ironman efforts by untimely mechanical problems -- has selected Ironman Australia for his next attempt over the distance.

Belfield is the latest pro to sign up for the race, which is wide-open in terms of favorites, given the absence of three-time winner Peter Reid. Australia's Chris Legh, the logical favorite for his runner-up performance here last year; American Tim DeBoom, winner of the 1999 Ironman New Zealand; and Germany's Jurgen Hauber, third in the 1999 Ironman Australia, fill out the top spots in terms of talent.

Belfield, once (1993) an ITU Junior Worlds bronze medallist, has made his name more recently in Ironmans. After winning Lanzarote last May, he was leading late into the bike portion of Ironman Switzerland when two flats drove him to a DNF last August. Then in the Hawaii Ironman, a derailleur mishap just six miles into the bike made him the first pro out of the race.

In the women's field, 1999 winner Lori Bowden of Canada will be challenged by Brazil's Fernanda Keller, five times the third-place finisher at the Hawaii Ironman. It will be Keller's first time racing Ironman Australia, and Bowden's fourth.

Here are the pro fields as of late last week:

Men - Scott Ballance (NZL, 34) Matt Belfield (ENG, 27); Will Carroll (Kirrawee, NSW, 23); Charlie Cooper (CAN, 30); Mitch Dean (Marcus Beach, Queensland, 21), Tim DeBoom (USA, 29); Troy Fidler (Spring Hill, Queensland, 31); Sean Foster (Essendon, Victoria, 29); Dean Gavan (Beecroft, NSW, 27); Justin Granger (Randwick, NSW, 38); David Harrigan (Coffs Harbour, NSW, 24); Jurgen Hauber (GER, 31); Chad Hawker (USA, 26); Chris Legh (Donvale, Victoria, 27); Garrett MacFadyen (Mermaid Waters, Queensland, 33); David Meade (Bendigo, Victoria, 29); Robert Meharry (Bendigo, Victoria, 30); Hideya Miyazuka (JPN, 36); Rainer Muller-Horner (GER, 33); Juan Mutti (ARG, 32); Brett Newton (Norman Park, Queensland, 29); Paul Obrien (Cronulla, NSW, 24); Tony O'Hagan (NZL, 33); Rip Oldmeadow (USA, 29); David Owen (Kangaroo Ground, Victoria, 31); Stuart Shaw (Monash, ACT, 22); Shane Smith (Falls Creek, Victoria, 30); Normann Stadler (GER, 27); Matt Stephens (Lockleys, South Australia, 29); Nathan Stewart (Merewether, NSW, 21); Eduardo Sturla (ARG, 26); Jan Van Rooyen (RSA, 28); John Van Wisse (Springvale, Victoria, 27); Grant Webster (Cronulla, NSW, 29).

Women - Kim Beckinsale (Tarragindi, Queensland, 32); Lori Bowden (CAN, 32); Barbara Buenahora (ARG, 23); Belinda Cheney(Waramanga, ACT, 23); Louise Davoren (Paradise Point, Queensland, 29); Nicole DeBoom (USA, 28); Isabelle Gagnon (CAN, 25); Belinda Granger (Randwick, NSW, 29); Fernanda Keller (BRA, 36); Jacqueline Lewis (CAN, 34); Anne Martin (Brighton, Victoria, 32); Natalie Moller (Blackburn South, Victoria, 31); Angela O'Connor (Graceville, Queensland, 33); Susan Peter (Evanston Park, South Australia, 37); Robyn Roocke (Goodwood, South Australia, 30); Birgit Rossberg (GER, 31); Cherie Trudeau-Cooper (CAN, 31); Jane Warren (Warrnambool, Victoria, 34).

February 18, 2000, Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA (www.slowtwitch.com):

Chuck Veylupek's suspension from the 2000 Hawaii Ironman has been reviewed by race officials -- and stands.

Lew Friedland, president of the World Triathlon Corp., issued the statement on Wednesday, in spite of a whirlwind of public sentiment that deemed the punishment too harsh. The popular "Chuckie V" blew up in the marathon portion of the 1999 Hawaii Ironman, walked most of the way and drank a beer mid-race.

That not only drew a disqualification from the results, but a ban on his participation in the 2000 race as well.

"World Triathlon Corporation continues its commitment to the strict enforcement of rules and regulations regarding the inappropriate use of drugs and alcohol," Friedland said. "Chuckie had two choices. One, to complete the race like every other competitor in accordance with the rules he agreed to prior to the race, or two, take off his race number, notify an official that he was dropping out, and then consume alcohol at his choice and risk.

"We have an obligation to protect the safety of each athlete on our race course. Chuckie placed himself and other competitors in potential danger by his actions. His disqualification and suspension is a direct result of the decisions made by the athlete, knowing and acknowledging that his actions were inappropriate and a violation of the rules of this sport."

For his part, Veylupek was stunned by the WTC's decision not to reverse the ban. He is currently preparing his own statement concerning his 2000 racing intentions from his home in northern California.

Read the WTC's full statement HERE. (below)

Official Statement Regarding Chuckie Veylupek's Suspension From the 2000 Ironman Triathlon World Championship From WTC President Lew Friedland:

During the 1999 Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, Chuckie Veylupek, was consuming an alcoholic beverage during the run portion of the competition. Chuckie confirmed this yesterday in a telephone conversation with me. Chuckie also stated in writing that his actions created an impaired state during his competition in the world championship event.

As a result of his actions, Chuckie was disqualified by USA Triathlon, the sanctioning authority, and it turned the matter over to the World Triathlon Corporation for further review. After a detailed review of the circumstances, including statements written by Chuckie, World Triathlon Corporation concluded that he had violated the official rules of the event and posed a potential danger to him and the other competitors. The appropriate penalty for multiple violations of the rules set forth to each athlete prior to the event is suspension from competition. In Chuckie's case, it is a suspension from the 2000 Ironman Triathlon World Championship.

World Triathlon Corporation continues its commitment to the strict enforcement of rules and regulations regarding the inappropriate use of drugs and alcohol. Chuckie had two choices. One, to complete the race like every other competitor in accordance with the rules he agreed to prior to the race, or two, take off his race number, notify an official that he was dropping out, and then consume alcohol at his choice and risk.

We have an obligation to protect the safety of each athlete on our racecourse. Chuckie placed himself and other competitors in potential danger by his actions. His disqualification and suspension is a direct result of the decisions made by the athlete, knowing and acknowledging that his actions were inappropriate and a violation of the rules of this sport.

World Triathlon Corporation will have no future public comment on this matter.

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Ingraham won't race Ironman Oz after all

February 4, 2000, Forster-Tuncurry, New South Wales, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

Wendy Ingraham, a perennial crowd favorite at the Minolta Ironman Australia, won't be returning to the April 9 race.

"I'm not ready to race that early -- I'm getting old, you know!" said Ingraham, who turned 36 earlier this week. "I'm going to do the half-Ironman in Huatulco
(Mexico, on April 1) instead.

"I feel my body needs a bit of a break. So I'm trying to be smart. I hope it
works! The fast season will be upon us soon."

Ingraham, who incurred a rare DNF at the Hawaii Ironman last October, will use 2000 to concentrate on racing fast at the Ironman Austria on July 23.

She has raced in Ironman Australia each year since 1995. That was her only win as the fields grew stronger through the years. She was second to Paula Newby-Fraser in both 1996 and 1997; then, in 1998, was a DNF with cramps on the bike.

Last year, she finished third behind Lori Bowden and Joanne King.

Notes Nick Munting of the Ironman Oz staff: "Wendy will be missed here, as she has a legion of fans in Australia who have strongly identified with her zany style and outgoing personality. And she will be particularly missed by the media crew, because no one else comes in at 6 a.m. each day to pick up their e-mails!"

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Bowden, DeBoom lead Ironman Australia field

January 19, 2000, Forster-Tuncurry, NSW, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

Canada's Lori Bowden, winner of the Hawaii Ironman in October, and America's Tim DeBoom, third in Hawaii and winner of the Air New Zealand Ironman last year, look to lead the fields on April 9 at the Minolta Ironman Australia.

Peter Reid, Bowden's husband and winner of the last three Ironman Australias, will not defend his title.

But the men's race -- in addition to DeBoom -- will hardly be lacking for international talent. Germany's Jurgen Hauber and Normann Stadler will take on the best of Australia: Chris Legh, runner-up to Reid last year; Jarrod Brauer, a newcomer who has won two half-Ironmans at home since November; and the better-established Aussies in Jason Shortis, Mitch Dean and Jason Metters.

Bowden's entry tops the female international field, which will also feature Brazil's Fernanda Keller; Canada's Isabelle Gagnon; American Wendy Ingraham; and rising Argentine Barbara Buenahora. Aussie women challenging for the top positions include Robyn Roocke, Susan Peter, Sally Martin and Anne Martin.