Intense battles expected up front for race honours
THE mood in Buffalo City is one of high expectation as the final countdown to the 10th Standard Bank Ironman 70.3 gathers momentum.
A trip to the East London Esplanade is an eye opener as thousands of highly tuned athletes go about last minute issues pertaining to their race tomorrow morning. Excitement is palpable.
There is disappointment of course at the forced withdrawal of Matt Trautman, who many expected would deliver a third consecutive win.
Trautman was hit by a car last weekend and is currently recovering from surgery.
There are, however, a number of fine athletes looking to take the title in what is looking likely to be ideal conditions.
The men’s competition is going to be tighter than the women’s and while former champion James Cunama appears to be most critic’s favourite to win, he will have to contend with strong challenges from the likes of fellow South Africans Kyle Buckingham, who hails from Port Elizabeth, and a veteran of many a skirmish, Stuart Marais.
French athlete Romain Guillaume is also highly rated by all.
Former Amathole Triathlon chairman and most recently an internationally sought after race commentator, Gordon Graham, shares the views expressed by others in respect of these fine athletes.
He does add that some excitement can be expected from the Hungarian, Balzs Csoke, who he describes as “a super fast swimmer”.
Locals will all be rooting for local man Clinton Gravett, who Graham points out is celebrating his one year anniversary as a pro.
The women have a proverbial mountain to climb if they wish to beat six time champion, Jodie Cunama (Swallow), and few would bet against her chalking up a seventh straight title.
Stranger things have of course happened in sport and Susie Cheetham, who like Cunama also hails from the United Kingdom, will certainly be looking to make her presence strongly felt.
Cheetham is clearly a tough competitor, having previously finished with a podium placing and then last year she managed to finish the event despite falling off her bike and breaking an elbow.
The only South African woman in the pro field is Annah Watkinson, who was third in 2016. She also had a great race in Durban in August and will in all likelihood be on the podium tomorrow.
Graham also likes the chances of Nikki Bartlett and Katja Konschak, who he rates as on the up in this sport.
He also thinks the bike course suits Australian Sara Lester, adding that “she is one who likes the hills”.
Over and above the professional athletes there are thousands from around the world looking for an African finish in this the largest participation triathlon in Africa.
The event starts at the Orient Beach at 6.45am and large crowds are expected from early on and throughout the day.