Hawaii ironman 2016: Mirinda Carfrae, Turia Pitt, Mel Hauschildt set to shine in triathlon

A PAIR of Aussie women are among the favourites to win the Hawaii ironman world championship. Another is set to steal the hearts of sports fans worldwide with her courage.

What you need to know about the Hawaii ironman triathlon.

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IT’S tough, it’s painful and it involves top athletes pushing themselves though pain barriers repeatedly for around nine hours.

It is also an extraordinary challenge for ordinary people.

The torturous Hawaii ironman — a multi-endurance test considered one of the toughest in the world — is raced annually through the lava fields of the Big Island on Hawaii.

Mirinda Carfrae is chasing a record fourth world crown in Hawaii.

And Australians have for years been major players in the event with two Aussie women among the favourites to dominate this year and another set to steal the hearts of sports fans worldwide.

Greg Welch was the first Aussie to win the event way back in 1994. In fact he was the first non-American to win the men’s race.

The fastest men will take around eight hours to complete the race. The fastest women will take around nine hours to complete the race.

Michellie Jones, who recently won a Paralympic gold as a guide, was the first Aussie woman to win with her stunner in 2006.

And Aussie John Maclean was our first paraplegic to complete the race.

Australia leads the international contingent this year with the second-most athletes competing (230), followed by Germany (195), Canada (137), Great Britain (124) and France (119).

MIRACLE MAN MACLEAN BACK ON HIS FEET

CARFRAE SMASHES AUSTRIA RECORD

HAUSCHILDT CLAIMS EURO TITLE

HELL OF A WAY TO PAY FOR A WEDDING

Mirinda Carfrae is the only other Australian woman to win the race but has done so three times with Craig Alexander the most capped male with three men’s wins

This year Carfrae and rookie Mel Hauschildt are tipped to dominate the women’s race while burns survivor Turia Pitt will continue to inspire as she bids to finish the punishing event.

A spent Craig Alexander after winning the 2008 Hawaii ironman triathlon.

CARFRAE DEFENDS WORLD CROWN

TIM REED'S UNUSUAL SECRET TO SUCCESS

CARFRAE FORCED OUT OF 2015 EVENT

DISTANCE:

The race involves a 3.8km swim, 180lm cycle, 42.2km run.

STATS THAT MATTER

#This is the largest Hawaii ironman ever with more than 2300 competitors.

#70 per cent (1,683 athletes) are male. 30 per cent (718 athletes) are female. This is up two per cent from 2015 and marks the largest female field in history.

#43 is the average age of registrants this year

#Hiromu Inada (Yachiyo, Chiba, Japan) is the oldest participant at 83, while Hiraya Shun (Asahi City, Chiba, Japan) is the youngest at 19

#Belarus is sending an athlete for the first time.

#More than 5000 volunteers will work on the event.

AUSSIE IN TRIATHLON HALL OF FAME

AUSSIE WINS 70.3 WORLD TITLE

CROWIE CRACKS TOP 10

The bike leg is longer than some stages of the Tour de France.

WHERE

The race is run each year at Kona, on the Big island of Hawaii.

This year it will be raced on October 9 (AEST).

The fastest men will take around eight hours to complete the race. The fastest women will take around nine hours to complete the race.

WHO

Athletes ranging from 18-year-old rookies to octogenarians.

The main focus of the race is the men's and women’s elite races.

TRYING TIMES OVER FOR MEL

CROWIE WINS AT AGE 44

CARFRAE'S BRILLIANT SECOND WIN

AUSSIE WOMEN TO WATCH

MIRINDA CARFRAE: The tiny triathlete with the biggest heart in the sport. Carfrae is a three-time winner of the event and one of the favourites to win this year. She is married to a triathlete, Tim O’Donnell and lives in the US. She is out for redemption after a bike crash in the lead-up to the race last year caused back issues which forced her out of the 2015 event.

CARFRAE'S INCREDIBLE TOLERANCE FOR PAIN

Mirinda Carfrae after winning Ironman Austria — her only ironman this year.

MEL HAUSCHILDT: A former Commonwealth Games steeplechaser who only moved across to the sport of triathlon in 2011 and immediately made an impact. She is a two-time 70.3 half ironman champion and won a silver in this event earlier this year. A superb runner, she is finally making her debut in the event after a string of injuries delayed her first appearance.

Melissa Hauschildt won silver in the 70.3 half ironman championships earlier this year.

TURIA PITT: Turia Pitt suffered burns to 65 per cent of her body when she was caught in a fast-moving bushfire in 2011. Her injures were so severe she was given only a slight chance of survival. But after more that 100 surgeries and learning to walk again, Pitt will realise a dream when she competes in the Hawaii ironman for the first time.

Turia Pitt is stepping up to do her first Hawaii ironman.

JOHN MACLEAN'S AMAZING RACE

GORDON RAMSEY: A REAL IRON CHEF

CUT OFF TIMES

#The mandatory swim cut off for the 3.8km swim is 2hrs 20min.

#The mandatory bike cut off time for the 180km cycle is 8hrs 10min.

#The mandatory marathon cut off is 6hrs 30min.

#Over all the cut-off time is 17 hours.

Men’s and women’s course records are both held by Australians thanks to Craig Alexander (8:03:56 in 2011) and Mirinda Carfrae (8:52:14 in 2013)

FAST FACTS

The multi-endurance event is the world championship of ironman.

American Paula Newby-Fraser holds the record for the most Hawaii ironman wins with eight.

The fastest men will take around eight hours to complete the race.

The fastest women will take around nine hours to complete the race.

The first race was held in 1978 on the island of Oahu.

The race found its home on the Big Island in 1981.

Since 1982 the race has been held every year.

Father-of-two Tim Reed, the world 70.3 champion, will make his Hawaii Ironman debut this year.

AUSSIE HISTORY

Sydney’s Greg Welch was the first non-American man to win the race in 1994.

Men’s and women’s course records are both held by Australians thanks to Craig Alexander (8:03:56 in 2011) and Mirinda Carfrae (8:52:14 in 2013).

Australians Craig Alexander (3), Mirinda Carfrae (3), Chris McCormack 2), Michellie Jones (1) and Pete Jacobs (1) have all won the race.

Greg Welch was the first Australian to win the Hawaii ironman back in 1994.

MICHELLIE JONES' GOLD HUNT

TIM BERKEL'S HAWAII DEBUT

LAST 11 WOMEN’S HAWAII IRONMAN PODIUMS

2015 Daniela Ryf (SUI) 8:57:57 Rachel Joyce (GBR) 9:10:59 Liz Blatchford (GBR) 9:14:52

2014 Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 9:00:55 Daniela Ryf (SUI) 9:02:57 Rachel Joyce (GBR) 9:04:23

2013 Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 8:52:14 Rachel Joyce (GBR) 8:57:28 Liz Blatchford (GBR) 9:03:35

2012 Leanda Cave (GBR) 9:15:54 Caroline Steffen (SUI) 9:16:58 Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 9:21:41

2011 Chrissie Wellington (GBR) 8:55:08 Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 8:57:57 Leanda Cave (GBR) 9:03:29

2010 Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 8:58:36 Caroline Steffen (SUI) 9:06:00 Julie Dibens (GBR) 9:10:04

2009 Chrissie Wellington (GBR) 8:54:02 Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 9:13:59 Virginia Berasategui (ESP) 9:15:28

2008 Chrissie Wellington (GBR) 9:06:23 Yvonne van Vlerken (NED) 9:21:20 Sandra Wallenhorst (GER) 9:22:52

2007 Chrissie Wellington (GBR) 9:08:45 Samantha McGlone (CAN) 9:14:04 Kate Major (AUS) 9:19:13

2006 Michellie Jones (AUS) 9:18:31 Desiree Ficker (USA) 9:24:02 Lisa Bentley (CAN) 9:25:18

2005 Natascha Badmann (SUI) 9:09:30 Michellie Jones (AUS) 9:11:51 Kate Major (AUS) 9:12:39

Pete Jacobs won the Hawaii ironman for Australia in 2012 — the last Aussie male to achieve the feat.

LAST 11 MEN’S HAWAII IRONMAN PODIUMS

2015 Jan Frodeno (GER) 8:14:40 Andreas Raelert (GER) 8:17:43 Timothy O’Donnell (USA) 8:18:50

2014 Sebastian Kienle (GER) 8:14:18 Ben Hoffman (USA) 8:19:23 Jan Frodeno (GER) 8:20:32

2013 Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) 8:12:29 Luke McKenzie (AUS) 8:15:19 Sebastian Kienle (GER) 8:19:24

2012 Pete Jacobs (AUS) 8:18:37 Andreas Raelert (GER) 8:23:40 Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) 8:24:09

2011 Craig Alexander (AUS) 8:03:56 Pete Jacobs (AUS) 8:09:11 Andreas Raelert (GER) 8:11:07

2010 Chris McCormack (AUS) 8:10:37 Andreas Raelert (GER) 8:12:17 Marino Vanhoenacker (BEL) 8:13:14

Chris McCormack after winning back in 20-10.

2009 Craig Alexander (AUS) 8:20:21 Chris Lieto (USA) 8:22:56 Andreas Raelert (GER) 8:24:32

2008 Craig Alexander (AUS) 8:17:45 Eneko Llanos (ESP) 8:20:50 Rutger Beke (BEL) 8:21:23

2007 Chris McCormack (AUS) 8:15:34 Craig Alexander (AUS) 8:19:04 Torbjørn Sindballe (DEN) 8:21:30

2006 Normann Stadler (GER) 8:11:58 Chris McCormack (AUS) 8:13:10 Faris Al-Sultan (GER) 8:19:05

2005 Faris Al-Sultan (GER) 8:14:17 Cameron Brown (NZL) 8:19:36 Peter Reid (CAN) 8:20:04

Multiple world champion Craig Alexander still races but no longer contests the Hawaii ironman.

WOMEN’S ELITE START LIST

101 Ryf Daniela WPRO CHE

102 Cheetham Susie WPRO GBR

103 Piampiano Sarah WPRO USA

104 Jackson Heather WPRO USA

105 Gossage Lucy WPRO GBR

106 Gajer Julia WPRO DEU

107 Frades Gurutze WPRO ESP

108 Swallow Jodie WPRO GBR

109 Lehtonen Kaisa WPRO FIN

110 Pedersen Camilla WPRO DNK

111 Carfrae Mirinda WPRO AUS

Small but mightily. Mirinda Carfrae after the 2012 Hawaii ironman. Pic: Delly Carr.

112 Cave Leanda WPRO GBR

113 Ellis Mary Beth WPRO USA

114 Roberts Lisa WPRO USA

115 Beranek Anja WPRO DEU

116 Vesterby Michelle WPRO DNK

117 Luxford Annabel WPRO AUS

118 Lundstrom Asa WPRO SWE

119 Lyles Liz WPRO USA

120 Kessler Meredith WPRO USA

121 Hauschildt Melissa WPRO AUS

122 Crowley Sarah WPRO AUS

123 Konschak Katja WPRO DEU

124 Kaye Alicia WPRO USA

125 Wurtele Heather WPRO CAN

126 Hufe Mareen WPRO DEU

127 Corbin Linsey WPRO USA

128 Deckers Tine WPRO BEL

129 Saemmler Daniela WPRO DEU

130 Van Vlerken Yvonne WPRO NLD

131 Holst Tine WPRO DNK

132 Moeller Kristin WPRO DEU

133 Walter Verena WPRO DEU

134 Castro Nogueira Saleta WPRO ESP

135 Monticeli Ariane WPRO BRA

136 Duke Dimity‐lee WPRO AUS

137 Tondeur Alexandra WPRO BEL

138 Lester Carrie WPRO AUS

139 Robertson Jodie WPRO USA

140 Steurer Bianca WPRO AUT

141 Schmitt Natascha WPRO DEU

142 Wassner Laurel WPRO USA

143 Herlbauer Michaela WPRO AUT

144 Badmann Natascha WPRO CHE

The race is considered one of the toughest multi-endurance events in the world.

MEN’S ELITE START LIST

1 Frodeno Jan MPRO DEU

2 Kienle Sebastian MPRO DEU

3 McMahon Brent MPRO CAN

4 Potts Andy MPRO USA

5 Van Berkel Timothy MPRO AUS

6 Llanos Eneko MPRO ESP

7 Sanders Lionel MPRO CAN

8 O’Donnell Timothy MPRO USA

9 Raelert Andreas MPRO DEU

10 Butterfield Tyler MPRO BMU

12 Van Lierde Frederik MPRO BEL

14 Stein Boris MPRO DEU

15 Don Tim MPRO GBR

16 Boecherer Andi MPRO DEU

17 Russell Matthew MPRO USA

18 Viennot Cyril MPRO FRA

19 Dellow David MPRO AUS

20 Lange Patrick MPRO DEU

21 Hoffman Ben MPRO USA

22 Albert Marko MPRO EST

23 Reed Tim MPRO AUS

24 Cunnama James MPRO ZAF

Michellie Jones was the fruits Australian woman to win the Hawaii ironman.

25 Collington Kevin MPRO USA

26 Bozzone Terenzo MPRO NZL

27 Aernouts Bart MPRO BEL

28 Schmid Stefan MPRO DEU

29 Mckenzie Luke MPRO AUS

30 Thomschke Markus MPRO DEU

31 Bracht Timo MPRO DEU

32 McNamee David MPRO GBR

33 Thomas Jesse MPRO USA

34 Plese David MPRO SVN

35 Degasperi Alessandro MPRO ITA

36 Wild Ruedi MPRO CHE

37 Weiss Michael MPRO AUT

38 Gomes Pedro MPRO PRT

39 Clarke William MPRO GBR

40 Schildknecht Ronnie MPRO CHE

41 Matthews Paul MPRO AUS

42 Kotsegarov Kirill MPRO EST

43 Baertsch Mauro MPRO CHE

44 Rana Ivan MPRO ESP

45 Billard Bertrand MPRO FRA

46 Skipper Joe MPRO GBR

47 Buckingham Kyle MPRO ZAF

48 Amorelli Igor MPRO BRA

49 Kramer Christian MPRO DEU

50 Vistica Andrej MPRO HRV

51 Rapp Jordan MPRO USA

52 Wiltshire Harry MPRO GBR

53 Carvalho Fabio MPRO BRA

54 Chevrot Denis MPRO FRA

55 Van Berkel Jan MPRO CHE

56 Wurtele Trevor MPRO CAN

57 Bittner Per MPRO DEU

58 Petersen‐Bach Jens MPRO DNK

59 Millward Callum MPRO NZL