With the Nelson Mandela Bay Isuzu Ironman 70.3 World Championships done and dusted, triathletes have only six more weeks to get themselves ready for the big one, the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
Most of the professional athletes left Port Elizabeth on Monday to enjoy a short break before resuming their training for the Kona event, which takes place on October 13.
Germany’s Jan Frodeno and Swiss triathlete Daniela Ryf, who won the men and women’s sections respectively at the 70.3 World Championship in the Bay at the weekend, will be hoping to conjure up similar performances on the world stage in Kona next month.
Frodeno – who spent most of his childhood in Cape Town where he started as a swimmer at the age of 15 – crossed the finish line in three hours, 36 minutes and 30 seconds.
The two-time Ironman world champion said Sunday’s win would not determine a good performance in Kona.
“I am going back to Australia now to join my family and to do a bit of heat acclimatisation and some longer sessions,” the 37-year-old said.
“I will fly out a week before the race and basically do a shorter approach than I normally would have done.
“Hopefully I will get the same result over double the distance in Kona.”
Ryf clinched her fourth 70.3 Ironman World Championship title in 4:01:12 on Saturday.
The 31-year-old, who is also the reigning Kona women’s champ, says she has a solid plan as she attempts to defend another gold medal within the space of five weeks.
“I will have one week at home where I train and then my plan is to go to Maui on September 13,” Ryf said.
“I’ll be in Maui, in heat camp, for three weeks and then I will go to Kona nine days before the race.
“I know that I still have work to do for Kona, especially in the next four weeks.
“It’s an important phase.” Ryf applauded runner-up Lucy Charles for a stellar performance and for putting up a good fight in the race on Saturday.
She is expecting similar competition from Charles – who won the Ironman African Champs in the Bay earlier this year – when the two meet in Kona.