So who is taking part this year? Registration closing today. Too bad I will still be here in Melbourne. Anyways, I don't think I can improve much if I join this year. I may improve my running time from last year but that's only by 1-2 mins in each leg, and maybe improve my transition times. Mine was pretty bad. Most Top 20 competitor are under a minute or slightly above a minute. I did mine in 1:30 and 2:30 respectively (talk about losing time).
As for cycling, I doubt I can improve much due to my lack of cycling mileage. Last year, my time of 2:05 for the 64km ride is the slowest among the Top 35 in my category. Most of them are in 1:50s, with the faster ones doing 1:40s. So maybe if I can improve to 1:50, maybe I have a chance of a Top 8 (that's RM50 of prize money woh...at least something lah). Last year the 8th place finisher's timing was 3:24:51, so I am like...mmh..wait..18 mins 09 secs behind this guy. So let me do the math. If I improve my riding time by 15 mins...that will be 3m09s behind, then take 1 min away from my total transition time, 2m09s, so I just need to improve 1m10s in my total running time.
Top five in each category will qualify for the World Champs in Zofingen. Well that I need to improve my overall timing by 22m35s! Last year's 5th place was 3:20:26.
Haha....easier said that done. Running and trasition legs are possible, but have to train real hard to get to a 1:50 riding time. Add to the fact that each year you may have different competitors, different running condition, your own or other competitors' conidtion on the day itself. There will be a lot of factors that will decide how you will be positioned on race day. So best advice is train hard & smart, and do your best.
So anyone up for the challenge in qualifying for Zofingen? Or the RM50 challenge (No. 8) also can lah...hehe.
Here's the press release for the 2009 Malakoff Powerman Malaysia in The Star today.
Wednesday September 30, 2009
World champ Vansteelant out to reclaim duathlon title
KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-crowned world champion Joerie Vansteelant of Belgium has confirmed his participation in the 2009 Malakoff Powerman Malaysia, which offers a total prize money of RM130,000.
Race director Melody Tan said that the duathlon race in Seri Manjung on Nov 8 would also see South African Jason Spong defending the title and the presence of Vansteelant would make the competition a more exciting affair.
Vansteelant, who claimed the world championship title in Switzerland last month, was the Powerman Malaysia winner in 2007.
The event will also feature Andy Sutz, Erich Felbabel, Jarrad Adams and Miguel Capo Soler, who have all made it to the top five in previous years. The Malaysian challenge will again be led by Shahrom Abdullah.
In the women’s category, Australian Rebecca Preston will not defend the title.
The race will see several new faces, including Camilla Lindholm of Sweden, Caroline Koll of South Africa, Radka Vodickova of the Czech Republic and Victoria Beck of New Zealand.
The men’s and women’s champion will receive US$5,000 each.
Today is the closing date for entries and Melody said that until yesterday, a total of 740 athletes had confirmed their participation.
“We hope to see about 800 athletes taking part in this endurance event,’’ she said.
Besides the individual races (11km run-64km cycling-10km run), there will also be a relay event and the sprint duathlon (5.5km run-32km cycling-5km run).
The individual event will have 14 age-group of competitions and top five in each category qualify for next year’s world championships in Zofingen, Switzerland, in August. Powerman Malaysia is the only Asian qualifying event for the championships.
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