The pro start lists have been released for this weekend’s Ironman Wales, with British middle distance champion Fraser Cartmell leading a line-up of 17 men that also includes Outlaw Half winner Paul Hawkins.
Known as one of the toughest races on the Ironman circuit worldwide, Ironman Wales will start with a 3.8km sea swim from Tenby’s North beach at 7am on Sunday 14 September, followed by a 180km bike through the Pembrokeshire countryside, before finishing with a 42.2km run into the town centre.
Out of the 17 pro men starting next Sunday, ten are British, two are Belgian, and the remainder come one apiece from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and South Africa. In the women’s race, there will be two pro Brits and two Germans. Absent however are both of last year’s winners – Scott Neyedli and Lucy Gossage.
The complete pro start lists are as follows:
Men
1. Fraser Cartmell (GBR)
2. Daniel Niederreiter (AUT)
3. Paul Hawkins (GBR)
4. Nick Baldwin (GBR)
5. James Brown (GBR)
6. Steve Clark (GBR)
7. Christian Funk (GER)
8. Rinus Holvoet (BEL)
9. Dominic Rohan-Gates (GBR)
10. Peru Alfaro San Ildefonso (ESP)
11. Mike Schifferle (SUI)
12. Oliver Simon (GBR)
13. Harry Springall (GBR)
14. Matt Trautman (RSA)
15. Handrik-Jan Verhaegen (BEL)
16. Peter Wilby (GBR)
17. Martin Cain (GBR)
Women
21. Katharina Grohmann (GER)
22. Amy Forshaw (GBR)
23. Julia Bohn (GER)
24. Laura Bostock (GBR)
British athlete Tamsin Lewis has pulled out of racing this year's event, and a severe Achilles tear has also forced TV chef Gordon Ramsay to withdraw from the start line, leaving him "extremely frustrated".
(Image: Ironman Europe)
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