Some say, that home ground gives you an advantage, and Australia’s home professional Triathlete, Tim Reed made Australia roar with pride by winning the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship victory on home turf.

In fact, there were four Australian in the top 10 men finishers for the triathlon held at Sunshine Coast. The last time an Australian won this event was when Craig Alexander won the Nevada edition in 2011.

“You work so hard, for so many years, to have an opportunity like that. I gave everything I could. Kudos to Sebi, he broke me about four times in that race. But I kept holding on somehow, and it worked out, thanks to this amazing crowd.” said the new world champion, Tim Reed.

Morning conditions were perfect for the pros and 3000 age-group athletes, who enjoyed calm waters and a wetsuit-legal swim. Australian former ITU athlete Josh Amberger lead the 1.9 km ocean swim along Mooloolaba beach, while the chase group contained veteran Craig Alexander, Terenzo Bozzone, Sam Appleton, Brent McMahon, Tim Don, and Tim Reed.

Amberger managed to hold off the rest of the field until just before the halfway point of the bike, when Dreitz and Kienle let their strength start to show. On the hillier sections, the stronger riders caught up and Kienle began to stretch the men out.

Onto the run, Kienle continued to dominate with some strong runners behind him. Reed used a consistent and strong performance on the bike to set himself up for the run, where he truly shines.

From that moment, it was a battle between the 2013 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion German and the home ground favourite. The two were never more than 20 meters from each other and ended up swapping the lead six times.

“Someone like Sebi is someone I’ve looked up to for many years. Even to be running alongside him was a buzz in itself,” Reed said after the race.

Reed crossed the finish line in 3:44:14, just two seconds ahead of Kienle. “I thought I was going to smash him on the hill, but then over the top—he was really over the top,” Kienle said.

Reed adds this victory to an impressive year so far. He set the fastest run and a course record in his IRONMAN debut at IRONMAN Australia in May, and won the IRONMAN 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship in Cebu last month. Reed has 10 IRONMAN 70.3 victories and 21 podiums to his credit in the last five years. He will head to Kona in just two weeks to contest the IRONMAN World Championship, along with today’s other top five finishers, Kienle, Wild, and Bozzone.

Top 10 Men

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