Spark for Legend in Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand

There’s a fresh spark of life in 39-year-old legend Cameron Brown as he prepares for the defence of his hitherto impregnable crown at the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand in Taupo on Saturday.
 

Last year Brown set a world best by becoming the first athlete in history to win the same Ironman event 10 times.

Standing in his way for number 11 is a supremely talented field led by the man who set the fastest Ironman time in history last year, Belgian Marino Vanhoenacker who clocked a startling 7hrs 45mins in winning Ironman Austria for the sixth time.

Brown said the news of Vanhoenaker’s entry has given him added motivation.

“It has brought a real edge to my training for sure,” said Brown. “As soon as I knew he was coming I thought wow I have to pick up my act and get stuck in. Terenzo (Bozzone) is a good athlete but when you have a guy who has been on the podium at Hawaii turning up, then you have to be on your A game. It has made my training more intense. I have really focussed on doing all of my key sessions better than ever.

“I’m not doing the 40hr weeks to come second, that’s for sure.”

Vanhoenaker, a six-time Ironman winner, is coming to New Zealand for vital qualifying points after he failed to finish the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.

It is far from a two-horse race however.  Kiwis Terenzo Bozzone, runner-up to Brown in Taupo in last three years, and Keegan Williams from Cambridge, fourth over the last two years, both have considerable credentials.

The international contingent includes Australia’s Aaron Farlow, the Ironman UK winner, and Frenchman Romain Guillaume who was runner-up to Farlow. Estonian Marko Albert is a double Olympian who clocked a remarkable 8:08 on debut in Austria last year and Germany’s Torsten Abel was runner-up at Ironman Arizona last year.

Most attention will focus on Brown who continues to defy the aging process and has now chalked up seven of the fastest eight Ironman times in the history of the race.

“I still love getting up and pretty much smashing myself everyday so until that goes away and dies I’ll keep doing this as my day job.”

“I’ve still got that passion and drive to succeed. If you’ve got that you can just keep going.”

The race will be live streamed on www.ironman.com from 6.45am on Saturday.

CAPTION: Cameron Brown, pushing to extend his remarkable record at the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand in Taupo on Saturday.

Credit: Daryl Carey