Buckingham will not wear the crown this time around

IT was another blow to the 2018 Standard Bank Ironman 70.3 Buffalo City yesterday when it was confirmed that top seed Kyle Buckingham from Port Elizabeth had pulled out of the race through injury.

Buckingham finished third last year and second in 2016 and was still chasing that elusive maiden victory.

He had been elevated to the top seeded position after defending champion Romain Guilaume had also pulled out of this year’s race through injury.

Another top seed, Stuart Marais, who had also enjoyed some great finishes in East London over the last few years, including a runner-up finish in 2015, was also ruled out of the event with an injury, while last year’s runner-up and former champ James Cunnama had already been ruled up after an injury picked up a few months ago.

This was all confirmed by Ironman media liaison Siya Ndzimande at the Garden Court Hotel yesterday afternoon.

A cracking race should, however, still be in store, with the top seeding now falling to the Netherlands’ Evert Scheltinga, while former double champ Matt Trautman from Stellenbosch will fancy his chances of adding a third title to his impressive resumé.

On the local front, East London’s best triathlete Clinton Gravett will be making a play for a top finish and he will be eager to improve on his solid 10th place finish in last year’s race.

This weekend’s race will also be the end of an era for Ironman 70.3 Buffalo City darling Jodie Cunnama (née Swallow), who is unable to defend her amazing winning streak due to having given birth recently.

Jodie has won the last seven events in a row in East London, holds the course record set in 2016 and is a huge crowd favourite.

This opens the door for fellow Great Britain athlete Susie Cheetham, who has finished runner-up to Jodie on a number of occasions, to get that elusive victory, while SA’s Annah Watkinson will also be eyeing the top prize.

In all over 2 000 competitors are set to line up on the Orient Beach on Sunday morning for the 11th annual Ironman 70.3 Buffalo City.

These athletes will set off on a 1.9km swim, before taking on a 90.1km cycle leg and finish off with a 21.1km run, with an eight-and-a half hour cut-off time in place for the race.

The action will get under way at 6.45am in the morning.