Defending champion Pete Jacobs is ready to continue Australia's extraordinary winning streak at the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii tomorrow.

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Ironman, Triathlon, September 26, 2013: Joining Jacobs three time winner Craig Alexander and former champion Mirinda Carfrae, all vying to secure a seventh straight victory at the famed race.

The first Australian to win the IRONMAN World Championships, Greg Welch, believes an Australian one-two is a distinct possibility, rating Jacobs as the better chance than the three-time champion and record holder.

“That said I think Crowie has one more great performance left in him at Kona so I would never count him out,” Welch said.

Two-time IRONMAN winner Chris McCormack, sidelined with injury this year agrees.

But Jacobs said he is using the greater exposure that comes with winning Kona to his advantage ahead of Sunday's (AEDT) race.

Pete-Jacobs-2012-Kona-win

"The lead-up, being champion, is pretty much the same," Jacobs told Triathlete magazine.

"It's nice to get mentioned a lot more in the media this year - people are actually picking me to win it, whereas last year, I think they were still picking me (as) a chance in the top 10 again.

"It's nice to take those expectations and turn them into confidence.

"I know that what I did last year works and I've improved on that for this year."

Jacobs had competed in more than 20 Ironman-distance races and was runner-up at Hawaii in 2011 before he broke through last year for the world title.

It also continued the Australian domination at the race that started in 2006 when Michellie Jones won.

McCormack won in 2007 and '10, while Craig Alexander was champion in '08, '09 and '11 and Mirinda Carfrae also took out the women's race three years ago.

Before this streak, Australia's only champion had been Greg Welch in 1994.

Alexander is 40 and probably racing at Hawaii for the last time.

He is a dark horse and Carfrae, who was third last year, is again one of the top women's contenders.

McCormack said Jacobs is his man to beat.

"He gets it right in October - the last couple of years, better than anybody," he said.

McCormack rates German star Sebastian Keinle and Belgian Frederick Van Leirde as the biggest threats to Jacobs, with another German Andy Raelert as the dark horse.

Double IRONMAN winner Luke Bell is in the form of his life although his compatriot and two-time winner Chris McCormack will watch from the sidelines after recent illness forced him out. Other Australians in the field include David Dellow, IRONMAN Cairns winner Luke McKenzie, Chris Legh and Clayton Fettell.

Former winner Miranda Carfrae is the leading hope from Asia Pacific in the women’s field, having recently returned to her former coach Siri Lindley. The results were almost immediate with runner-up in Racine and a win in Muskoka over the IRONMAN 70.3 distance.

“I still think I can go faster,” Carfrae said. “I still think I can improve as an athlete. My best performances are yet to come on this island.”

The 35th Hawaiian Ironman will feature a field of 2000 on the Big Island, including more than 250 Australians and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

The race is a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and marathon, contested in brutal tropical heat.

The men's winner will finish in just over eight hours, with the first woman about an hour later.

SCHEDULE:

Elite Men Start

Saturday 12 October - 06:30am

Elite Women Start

Saturday 12 October - 06:35 am

Kailua-Kona (U.S.A. - Hawaii)	Saturday, 12 October 2013 at 6:30:00 AM	HAST	UTC-10 hours
Sydney (Australia - New South Wales)	Sunday, 13 October 2013 at 3:30:00 AM	AEDT	UTC+11 hours

The 2013 IRONMAN World Championship can be viewed live exclusively on www.ironman.com. The comprehensive coverage will capture every aspect of the race and features an Athlete Tracker and live blog.

About IRONMAN

The iconic IRONMAN® Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the inception of the IRONMAN® brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Recognized for excellence through distinguished events, world-class athletes and quality products, World Triathlon Corporation (d/b/a IRONMAN), owner and operator of the IRONMAN® Series, has grown from owner of a single race to a global sensation with more than 190 events across five unique brands: IRONMAN®, IRONMAN 70.3®, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl® and IronKids®. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.

Lisa Pringle
Media Manager, Asia-Pacific

Issued on behalf of Ironman…..

Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia
Managing Director

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