
A new IRONMAN 70.3 is unveiled in Taiwan amid the burgeoning Asian triathlon scene.
Kiwi Guy Crawford is hoping to continue his run of success in Taiwan in the new Sinox IRONMAN 70.3 Taiwan. After a breakthrough victory at IRONMAN 70.3 Taiwan in Kenting last November, he moves with the race to nearby Taitung for the new event.
Well performed Czech Republic triathlete Radka Vodikova has the top women’s seeding where she faces a bunch of Asia-Pacific’s best.
Men’s Field
Crawford enjoys the heat, having been in the top four in Taiwan in each of the last three years. He comes off an 11th placing at IRONMAN New Zealand where he was prominent until he fell away late on the run.
The favourite is likely to be Australian Brad Kahlefeldt who has his first start in 2016 after fully recovering from a hip injury that brought about an early finish to his 2015 season.
The lanky Australian won IRONMAN 70.3 Bintan late last year and earlier last year finished on the podium at IRONMAN Melbourne. He enjoys the heat with victories in recent times over IRONMAN 70.3 at Cairns and Putrajaya.

Sweden’s Fredrik Croneborg was runner up to Crawford in Taiwan last year and also runner-up at IRONMAN Malaysia, while there is interest in former Italian policeman Alberto Casadei, who was third at IRONMAN races in the Netherlands and Malaysia last year.
Watch too for Japan’s Kaito Tohara who was fifth at IRONMAN Malaysia in November, and the well-performed Australian David Mainwaring, who enjoyed his breakthrough IRONMAN 70.3 success at Western Sydney in December.

Women’s field
Radka Vodickova has numerous victories around the globe over the distance, including Putrajaya and St Croix in 2014 although raced sparingly last year. She started this year with second to Mel Hauschildt at the Husky long distance race.
Australians Sarah Crowley and Kate Bevilaqua are no strangers to success in Asia as is the Japanese pair of Emi Sakai and Keiko Tanaka.
However the locals will be out in force to support the remarkable Taiwanese star Shiao-Yu Li, who overcame paralysis to become an IRONMAN champion, winning in Japan three years in a row and becoming the first professional from Taiwan to compete at the IRONMAN World championship in Hawaii.
After six years based in Kenting, the event will be based on the east coast location of Taitung with a one lap swim in the stunning Flowing Lake with the bike and run courses along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean.
Temperatures should be around 27C degrees. Taitung is on the southeast shores of Taiwan, approximately two hours drive from Kenting, facing the Pacific Ocean.
Pro Males
BIB | First Name | Last Name | Country |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Guy | Crawford | NZL |
2 | Fredrik | Croneborg | SWE |
3 | Alberto | Casadei | ITA |
4 | David | Mainwaring | AUS |
5 | Brad | Kahlefeldt | AUS |
6 | Gudmund | Snilstveit | NOR |
7 | Kaito | Tohara | JPN |
8 | Mitchell | Kibby | AUS |
9 | Stuart | Marais | ZAF |
10 | Zsombor | Deák | ROM |
11 | Alistair | Eeckman | USA |
12 | Paul | Amey | GBR |
13 | Sebastien | Jouffret | FRA |
14 | Yu | Shinozaki | JPN |
15 | Peter | Kerr | AUS |
16 | Shinya | Suganuma | JPN |
17 | Adam | Gordon | AUS |
Pro Females
BIB | First Name | Last Name | Country |
---|---|---|---|
21 | Radka | Vodickova | CZE |
22 | Sarah | Crowley | AUS |
23 | Kate | Bevilaqua | AUS |
24 | Shiao-Yu | Li | TWN |
25 | Emi | Sakai | JPN |
26 | Keiko | Tanaka | JPN |
27 | Carina | Brechters | DEU |
Originally from: http://ap.ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2016/03/ironman-70.3-taiwan-preview.aspx#ixzz43btdxR7Y