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Defending Champ Has Reason To Love Area

By SCOTT PURKS

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 8, 2008

CLEARWATER - For anyone who takes the Tampa Bay area for granted, Australia's Mirinda Carfrae has a list of reasons not to.

Sunshine. Gorgeous beaches. Comfortable temperatures. A beautiful Ironman 70.3 World Championship.

"I honestly can say I love Tampa Bay in every way," Carfrae said. "I certainly have no reason not to love the place."

Indeed. Last year, Carfrae, 27, not only enjoyed swimming 1.2 miles in the Gulf next to Pier 60, riding her bike 56 miles through the streets of Clearwater, and running 13.1 miles down a similar path, but she also won the race.

She finished in 4 hours, 7 minutes, 25 seconds, a time that could be improved upon this year.

"I would say I'm feeling good and prepared," she said. "I'm sure I will race well, but then again, you have to race extremely well to beat this field."

That field includes 1,800 of the world's best, all of whom qualified at more than 30 races around the world and will begin splashing in the water today at 6:45 a.m.

In the mix are specialists of shorter courses (such as Olympic distance events, .93-mile swim, 24.8-mile bike and 6.2-mile run) and the full Ironman distance (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run).

It's been proven that a full Ironman veteran can win a 70.3 event and sometimes, as in the case of Carfrae, the title can go to a shorter-course champion.
Carfrae has never competed in a full Ironman. It is on her list of things to do as she gets older, a trend among professional triathletes: Go with the shorter distances when you're in your 20s and then build up from there.

"I honestly think I might be better at the longer distances," Carfrae said.

But, first things first, she will try to win again today.
Leading the way with Carfrae will be the defending men's champion, American Andy Potts, who won last year's title in 3:42:33.

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