Aussies lead Ironman field

Participants of the Iron Girl race burst out of the starting line on the eve of the main Ironman 70.3 race. —Sherwin Vardeleon

LAPU-LAPU CITY—Australians make up the bulk of the 34-strong professional field of the Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championships set Sunday at Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa here.

Three-time Cebu champion Tim Reed and three-time Ironman world champion Craig Alexander will spearhead eight other Aussies in the men’s pro side, which lured 19 participants, including 2016 Xterra off-road triathlon king and inaugural Davao 70.3 winner Mauricio Mendez of Mexico.

Five Aussies will take part in the 15-strong female pro side, led by regular Philippine visitor Dimity Lee Duke, who placed second in the recent Subic Ironman.

Among the 10 Filipinos in the Asian Elite category are Augusto Benedicto, John Philip Dueñas and Arland Macasieb.

A record field of 2,700 from 52 countries will answer the starting gun of the event, beginning with the 1.9-kilometer swim at 5:55 a.m. at Shangri-La Mactan beachfront.

After the point-to-point swim, participants will exit the Shangri-La boat ramp leading to the transition area at Mactan Newton beach, the start point of the 90-km bike leg.

The 21-km run course, from the parking lot of Shangri-La Mactan and back for the finish line, is a double loop course of generally flat terrain of mixed asphalt and concrete roads.

Each participant is given 70 minutes to finish the swim leg, five hours and 30 minutes for the bike event and eight hours and 30 minutes for the half marathon. All participants must be off the course by 3:30 p.m.