Inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Western Sydney draws big names to Penrith

Marc Rawlings will be one of many competing in the 1.9km swim, 91km ride, and 21.1km run for IRONMAN 70.3 glory.

Marc Rawlings of Glenmore Park is competing in the WS Ironman on Sunday.

Hundreds of athletes will descend on Penrith this weekend for the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Western Sydney.

Marc Rawlings will be one of many competing at the Regatta Centre in the 1.9km swim, 91km ride, and 21.1km run for ironman glory.

The 36-year-old from Glenmore Park has been doing triathlons for eight years and will this weekend compete in his third ironman event.

Marc Rawlings is the manager of the Atmosphere Health and Fitness Club facility in Penrith. (Matt Sullivan)

“I was also lucky enough to represent Australia at the World Championships last year, which was a great privilege and a fantastic event,” Rawlings said.

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“I’m absolutely looking forward to the event and we have a number of team members racing from the Penrith Institute of Sport and from the Panthers Tri Club. We are pumped.”

Ironman Ballarat 70.3, Victoria. Womens Winner Melanie McQuaid. (Colleen Petch)

Rawlings, who has been training for eight weeks in the lead-up to the event including the Nepean Triathlon, said this was an ironman for everyone.

“It’s not as long as the traditional events, so it’s easier to take that step into the next level,” he said.

6-time IRONMAN champion Dave Scott will race in Penrith.

“You can do it on the back of 14 hours of training a week which I think is a big drawcard for people.”

Ironman legend and six-time World Champion Dave Scott held clinics in preparation for the event.

Scott is one of the biggest names in the sport and has been involved in ironman for over 30 years and will be joined by five-time World Champion Craig Alexander and an assortment of Aussie young guns.

“We have a lot of phenomenal athletes based out of Penrith and there are more and more coming,” Rawlings said.

“We can swim in the regatta, we can swim in the river, have great bike courses and hills to train on, and running around the river or the national parks.”

The race kicks off at 6am on Sunday from the Regatta Centre.

Ironman Ballarat 70.3, Victoria. Second place getter Jamie Huggett. (Colleen Petch)

“My aim is to be up at the top, I’d like to get top ten in my age group (36-39) if not a bit better,” Rawlings said.

“You get butterflies in your stomach all week and you’re nervous but you know that you’re ready and it’s just about preparing your body and preparing your mind.”