Gqeberha is ready to welcome the world’s leading triathletes when they attack the streets of Summerstrand at the 19th Isuzu Ironman Nelson Mandela Bay African Championships on Sunday.
Starting at 6.40am, professional and age group athletes will commence a long day of multisport competition when they take on the 3.8km swim, a gruelling 180km cycle before completing the set with a 42.2km marathon.
The race expo, situated in the basement below the Boardwalk Hotel was a hive of activity as athletes for both the full distance race, and Isuzu Ironman Nelson Mandela Bay 70.3 event which is held simultaneously, get their race registration and any other necessities finalised ahead of the big day.
With a strong field of professional athletes set for the early start on Sunday morning, and defending men’s and women’s champions Leon Chavalier and Laura Phillip not part of the pro field, new champions will be crowned when the tape is broken.
Speaking at a question-and-answer session on Friday, top seeds Daniela Ryf, Matt Trautman, Magda Niewoudt and Mathias Petersen were raring to go ahead of a challenging day out on course.
The 10-time Ironman and Ironman 70.3 world champion was excited about returning to the Bay to race in what will be her final professional race that is not a world championship contest.
“I definitely have good memories from here, from winning the African Championships in 2017 and then for the 70.3 world championships in 2018,” Ryf, who will retire from professional racing at the end of this year, said.
“This year will be a pretty busy year as well. I told myself that I want to race more than I have in previous years, sharing the course with my fellow athletes and just trying to visit and race in as many countries as possible in my final year,” she said.
Trautman, who finished in 10th position at the event in 2023 due to a tyre puncture on the bike, will be hoping to go one better than his third place finish in 2022.
Asked how much the additional crowd support of Gqeberha’s triathlon loving public pushes him during a race, Trautman said: “You can certainly use that energy to fuel you, there is no doubt there will be a huge home ground advantage racing here.
“As long as you don’t get completely carried away, it’s obviously a long day, and the last few laps of the run, you want to get there with some energy left in the tank.
“I’ve got my family here, it is always great to see them out on the course, it is one of the best supported races around the world, so you can definitely use that crowd energy to your advantage,” he said.
Magda Niewoudt, who claimed the bronze medal at the 2022 edition, was itching to put her skills to the test against Ryf, who is one of the most decorated athletes the sport has ever seen.
“It’s pretty amazing. When she announced she was coming to SA, all the local triathletes were excited, and I was like why,” she said jokingly.
“It is an honour to race against Daniela and the rest of the women’s field, when I was an age group athlete she was already performing at the highest level.
“So to be able to toe the line is very inspiring, it challenges you and you have nothing to lose, you can put it all out there and show what you have been training for.
“Two years ago, I was able to fight for third place.”
She said that feeling of having the crowd support carrying her on the run was amazing.
“I will do everything I can on Sunday to have that feeling again,” Niewoudt said.
The athletes will be racing for the title of African champion, one of four slots (per gender) to the 2024 VinFast World Championship and a piece of the $150,000 (R2.9m) prize money.
The 70.3 Nelson Mandela Bay takes place on the same day and is an age-grouper only race.
HeraldLIVE
Ironman pro athletes primed for gruelling day
Sports reporter
Image: FREDLIN ADRIAAN
Gqeberha is ready to welcome the world’s leading triathletes when they attack the streets of Summerstrand at the 19th Isuzu Ironman Nelson Mandela Bay African Championships on Sunday.
Starting at 6.40am, professional and age group athletes will commence a long day of multisport competition when they take on the 3.8km swim, a gruelling 180km cycle before completing the set with a 42.2km marathon.
The race expo, situated in the basement below the Boardwalk Hotel was a hive of activity as athletes for both the full distance race, and Isuzu Ironman Nelson Mandela Bay 70.3 event which is held simultaneously, get their race registration and any other necessities finalised ahead of the big day.
With a strong field of professional athletes set for the early start on Sunday morning, and defending men’s and women’s champions Leon Chavalier and Laura Phillip not part of the pro field, new champions will be crowned when the tape is broken.
Speaking at a question-and-answer session on Friday, top seeds Daniela Ryf, Matt Trautman, Magda Niewoudt and Mathias Petersen were raring to go ahead of a challenging day out on course.
The 10-time Ironman and Ironman 70.3 world champion was excited about returning to the Bay to race in what will be her final professional race that is not a world championship contest.
“I definitely have good memories from here, from winning the African Championships in 2017 and then for the 70.3 world championships in 2018,” Ryf, who will retire from professional racing at the end of this year, said.
“This year will be a pretty busy year as well. I told myself that I want to race more than I have in previous years, sharing the course with my fellow athletes and just trying to visit and race in as many countries as possible in my final year,” she said.
Trautman, who finished in 10th position at the event in 2023 due to a tyre puncture on the bike, will be hoping to go one better than his third place finish in 2022.
Asked how much the additional crowd support of Gqeberha’s triathlon loving public pushes him during a race, Trautman said: “You can certainly use that energy to fuel you, there is no doubt there will be a huge home ground advantage racing here.
“As long as you don’t get completely carried away, it’s obviously a long day, and the last few laps of the run, you want to get there with some energy left in the tank.
“I’ve got my family here, it is always great to see them out on the course, it is one of the best supported races around the world, so you can definitely use that crowd energy to your advantage,” he said.
Magda Niewoudt, who claimed the bronze medal at the 2022 edition, was itching to put her skills to the test against Ryf, who is one of the most decorated athletes the sport has ever seen.
“It’s pretty amazing. When she announced she was coming to SA, all the local triathletes were excited, and I was like why,” she said jokingly.
“It is an honour to race against Daniela and the rest of the women’s field, when I was an age group athlete she was already performing at the highest level.
“So to be able to toe the line is very inspiring, it challenges you and you have nothing to lose, you can put it all out there and show what you have been training for.
“Two years ago, I was able to fight for third place.”
She said that feeling of having the crowd support carrying her on the run was amazing.
“I will do everything I can on Sunday to have that feeling again,” Niewoudt said.
The athletes will be racing for the title of African champion, one of four slots (per gender) to the 2024 VinFast World Championship and a piece of the $150,000 (R2.9m) prize money.
The 70.3 Nelson Mandela Bay takes place on the same day and is an age-grouper only race.
HeraldLIVE
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