Kate Bourchier and Kylie Scholz to compete at Ironman World Championships in Hawaii
Two Territory athletes are primed to battle high temperatures, exposed lava fields and the best in the world at the Ironman World Championships this weekend.
With its high temperatures, exposed lava fields and long distances there are few events more gruelling in world sport than the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.
But two Territory athletes, Kate Bourchier and Kylie Scholz, who have trained in the Darwin heat, will take on the immense trial after qualifying for the pinnacle of the sport.
Bourchier qualified for her fourth World Championships at the Cairns Ironman in June while Scholz qualified will compete for a third time after qualifying at the Port Macquarie Ironman in May.
The duo from the Darwin Triathlon Club will compete on October 11 with their race being a 3.8km swim, 180km ride finished with a 42.2km run.
Scholz previously raced in 2012 and 2023 but faced a long road back between those two with three kids and an ACL knee reconstruction in the interim.
She now feels incredibly lucky to be headed back to Kona, with this year’s race being unique in that it will be the last single sex race, which has been the way since Covid rules came about in 2020.
“I’m also grateful to my husband and kids for their patience during the long hours of training,” she said.
“And my workplace for their flexibility with part time work and my coach and training mates for helping me get prepared.
“In Australia there is nowhere better than Darwin to prepare for the heat and humidity of Ironman Hawaii.”
Bourchier shared the sentiment that Darwin, particularly in the build-up, was the perfect staging ground for the event and had helped the pair through a tough qualifying period.
“The competition is tough - there are so many great age group athletes, let alone the pro’s that race with us on the same day and course,” she said.
“There are limited spots to qualify in your age group for Kona, and if you do qualify, you have to accept your spot and pay for it the morning after the race.
“The day is long and tough both physically and mentally to keep your pacing, making sure you’re keeping up your hydration and nutrition so it’s about how you respond and reset.”
Bourchier originally came to the Top End to umpire in the NTFL and that experience taught her how athletes embrace the conditions and get fitter as a result.
“It makes you a lot fitter, we’re presuming that after training in Darwin we are well prepared for the hot, humid, and windy conditions of Hawaii,” she said.
“In terms of the local support, it’s awesome. I’ve been here for about five years and the local triathlon community has been a great source of support and encouragement.
There are so many amazing athletes up here which is funny for a place that can be so hot and humid, it’s sports-mad, people just get out and about regardless.”
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Originally published as Kate Bourchier and Kylie Scholz to compete at Ironman World Championships in Hawaii
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