Top 10 Preview - World Championship 2009 Hawaii

1. Rasmus Henning
Nationality aside. Team mate aside. Even though this will be Hennings first go at Hawaii, even though this is his first season changing from at short distance triathlete to a long distance triathlete, then on a perfect day Rasmus can outrun anyone in the entire field. Rasmus is good in the heat. He swim among the very best. He won’t loose time on the bike to his main competitors. And he can post a 2:40 on the finishing run. But we still have to acknowledge the fact that this is his first attempt at Hawaii so even though a win is possible, experience and a good feeling is perhaps the most important things to take away from this years race. But he is definitely one of the favorites this year. And I’m sure that he will turn up very well prepared and it is hard to see him being surprised by anything.

2. Craig Alexander
World Champion last year after an impressive finishing run. Has shown great form this year. Just won the 70.3 event in Muskoka in Canada where he posted 1:11:41 on the run on a tough course. He has the ability and the experience to win again.

3. Chris McCormack
Won in 2007 after a solid final run in 2:42. He was second in 2006. Last year he had to abandon after a mechanical problem. This year he has shown some scary form.

4. Timo Bracht
He won the IM Germany and became European Champion in early July. He was second in Half Challenge Barcelona in May. His focus has been on Hawaii. He will be looking for some serious revenge for last year disqualification for not taking a penalty. He was 5th in 2008 and 11th in 2006.

5. Eneko Llanos
A surprise second last year, but he is very consistent Ironman athlete. It is difficult not to see him being in contention for a Top 5 spot. He was 7th in 2007 and 5th in 2006 so he knows Hawaii and have had success here before. He finished second in the IM Germany this year only one minute off.

6. Cameron Brown
Multiple winner of the Ironman New Zealand which he won this year as well. Finished 6th in 2008, 8th in 2006 and 2nd in 2005. He has the experience. He´s capable of a very strong final run. He could very well end up on the podium.

7. Ronnie Schildknecht
He was 4th in Hawaii last year. He has won IM Switzerland the last three years in style. Can post a very fast run and has been there before.

8. Andreas Raelert
He was close to making it to the German Olympic Team, but after not making it he has changed to the long distance races. He ended 2008 with a win in Ironman Arizona. He got 4th in IM Germany but was just 4 minutes from the winner in a very strong field. To me he is probably still more a 70.3 triathlete, and I doubt he will end in the Top 5. But a Top 10 is definitely possible.

9. Terenzo Bozzone
First year in Hawaii. Huge talent. Will get his win in Hawaii at a later stage. Top 10 is possible and maybe even more. Wouldn’t be surprised if he gets it together and puts himself in the contention for more. Took on both Chris McCormack and Cameron Brown to win the 70.3 event in the Philippines in August. The Ironman distance is still quite new to him though but never underestimate youth and great talent.

10. Michael Göhner
Any one winning Challenge Roth in the way Göhner did, must be mentioned as a athlete, who can go far in Hawaii. He posted a 7:55hrs race in the strongest field seen this year with a finishing run in 2:41. He was 18th in 2007 but had to pull out last year due to injury.

Other Top 10 Candidates:

Normann Stadler
Finished 4th in Challenge Roth this year. Two-time World Champion in 2004 and 2006. Finished 12th last year after a poor run. I don’t think he will be in contention this year. Will probably post a very good swim-bike split but I think the race this year will be decided very much on the run. He won’t be able to destroy the field on the bike and his running skills is not good enough to get on the podium. But he is capable of making a surprise and I’m sure he will go for the win.

Patrick Vernay
Very experienced in Hawaii. In the last fife editions he has been in the Top 15 with last years 7th place being his best performance. Not a contender for one of the top spots, but should put in a solid race.

Andy Potts
He crashed heavily in late August at the Chicago Triathlon. He didn’t brake anything but must have been some scare for him. He should normally be a strong Top 10 contender. Last year he was 7th after being first man out of the water. Perhaps the crash will do him good as the break seemed to have been no more than a week. But his experience on the IM distance is still lacking and I think he won’t compete anyway for a podium spot before next year.

Pete Jacobs
He has put in three consecutive podium positions at the Challenge Roth in one of the strongest fields on the IM calendar. He was second at IM Australia and is a solid long distance triathlete. He broke down last year in Hawaii but still managed to finish. He has a 17th place from 2006. He can move into the Top 10 on a good day.

Marino Vanhoenacker
23rd in 2008. Has won IM South Africa as well as IM Austria in 2009. He got second in 70.3 St. Pölten and won 70.3 Antwerp early August. Was sixth in 2006 and fifth in 2007. He could post one of the fastest bike splits of the day and has a solid run. And moreover he has the experience to do well here.

Other Names To Watch:

Faris Al-Sultan
He won in 2005 and got the bronze in both 2004 and 2006. Last year he was 13th, but it seems like his best days are past him. The top results are gone and it is difficult to see coming from behind this year. A Top 20 seems likely though.

Jimmy Johnsen
Johnsen was 25th in his debut in 2007. He has put in some solid performances in Ironman races the last year. He finished 4th in IM Western Australia last December and 4th in IM Australia. He was 4th in 70.3 Switzerland in June and 6th 70.3 Geelong. He is a consistent long distance triathlete who on a good day could move into contention for Top 15 spot.

Chris Lieto
He was 29th in 2008 after posting one of the best bike splits but eventually broke down in the heat. Will still be a athlete that can be in the mix but in a strong field like this years he will have difficulties to contend for a Top 10 spot. Got 9th place in 2006.

Mathias Hecht
He made an impressive debut last year with a 9th place finish. He doesn’t seem however to be in contention for the same position this year in a very strong field. He was 12th in IM Australia and 5th in IM Germany. He finished 3rd in 70.3 Germany in mid-august. This year gaining experience will probably be the most for him to gain besides a Top 20 position.

Petr Vabrousek
Some rate this Czech as somewhat idiotic. I don’t have the number but he is doing more than 10 Ironman races a year. I found it very impressive and to some extend motivating for the rest of us. Would he win races if he did less of them? Would he post faster times if he did less? I am not sure. Only Vabrousek can answer that. None the less he is known by many triathletes around the world because of the number of races that he does. He gets to travel around the world and doing races on the most scenic and epics places. He doesn’t like to train – he likes to race. I have the upmost respect for this man. Impressive. I will follow him yet again in a Ironman race and hope he will do well.

Rutger Beke
He should be listed in the Top 10 but he crashed early September maybe braking his ankle and he looks like a non-starter. Even if he starts any top position seems very unlikely.