03/03/10
The Toughest Show on Earth
ironguides athletes raced in Ironman Malaysia this weekend, held on the beautiful island of Langkawi. As usual conditions in this race, dubbed The Toughest Show on Earth for good reason, were far from easy.
Category: results
Posted by: editor
Conditions for the 11th running of Ironman Malaysia were, like most years, hot and humid. The temperature hit 41 degrees Celsius / 106 Fahrenheit. (And this year the 3.8km swim course seemed somewhat on the long side.) Overall only 46 athletes cracked the 11-hour mark while only 93 finished within 12 hours!
Among ironguides athletes, Naomi Cookson completed this Ironman, her first, in 15hrs05mins. This was also her fifth triathlon. The 27-year-old student, who lives in Bangkok, has come a long way in the past six months. She has improved her bike-handling skills considerably including learning how take to on fluids while cycling – an absolute necessity when cycling 180.1km anywhere, and especially before running 42.2km on Langkawi.
Ezer Ratchaga also racked up a debut Ironman finish in 16hrs07mins. Ezer who lives in Kuala Lumpur decided to step up to the Ironman distance after finishing Ironman 70.3 Malaysia in 8 hours last year.
Bill Dobson finished his second Ironman race within three months in 12hrs33mins. Time management is key for Bill, who is the chief financial officer of a big gym franchise in Thailand.
Julian Hudson finished Ironman Malysia in 12hrs25mins, another first-time Ironman. The father of two works full-time for an insurance business in Singapore.
Carlos De Guzman finished in 13hrs30mins. A great effort from Carlos who overcame a big challenge in his preparation: his bike turned up only three weeks out from race day because it had been kept in Australian customs after he sent it home by post following Ironman West Australia in December.
Bernard Sechaud crossed the line in 13hrs27mins. This was Bernard's first Ironman after only two years in the sport. He has lost a ton of weight and now enjoys the benefits of a healthier life. As a banker, Bernard works hard with long hours in a high-stress environment. He is dedicated and takes his training seriously, while also finding the time to "play hard" on his diving and sailing trips.
Raymond "CK" Yeow completed the race in 16hrs14mins. This was CK's first Ironman. He is a 45-year-old Navy warrant officer and a dedicated family man. CK did part of his training for this race while out at sea, with limited facilities.
Over in New Zealand, Jeffrey Foo finished the Ironman held in stunning Taupo in 12hrs34mins. This was his sixth Ironman race. Jeffrey, 38, is director of a sports logistics company and has two daughters. He works long hours and has a very balanced approach to the sport. He likes to push himself and set new targets but realises that Ironman racing is just one aspect of a well-rounded life.
A solid day for all ironguides athletes at The Toughest Show on Earth, won by pro athletes Marino Vanhoenacker and Belinda Granger, and Ironman New Zealand, won by Cameron Brown (for the ninth time) and Jo Lawn.