By Nangamso Mabindla
14 January 2008

SOUTH AFRICAN Raynard Tissink easily sped past his international rivals to win the inaugural Spec-Savers Ironman 70.3 race held in East London on Sunday, 13 January.

Enthusiastic East Londoners and visitors turned out in droves early yesterday morning to witness the first of 30 Ironman 70.3 events to be held this year. As early as 6am, the Esplanade was the place to be, filling up with locals and tourists alike. At 7am the first wave of athletes took to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean at Orient Beach, signalling the start of Ironman 70.3.

The first wave was led by professional male athletes, hailing from around the world. This group used the race as a means of getting a slot in the World Ironman Championship to be held in Florida, in the United States later this year.

First out of the water was Scotland's Fraser Cartmell, but Tissink caught up during the 90km cycle leg and never looked back, finishing the race in four hours, three minutes and two seconds.

Belgian athlete Frederick van Lierde took second place with Cartmell completing the top three. Germany's Konstantin Bachor and South African Carl Storm completed the top five.

The second wave, led by women professional athletes, followed 20 minutes after the first. American athlete Desiree Ficker won the race on the back of a strong cycle, with Germany's Heidi Jesberger taking second place and Lucie Zelenkova from the Czech Republic completing the top three.

South African's Davera Magson and Lisa Bauman made up the top five.

Speaking after his win, Tissink said that he was surprised at how fast his cycle leg was.

"I thought it would be the most difficult, but as it turned out, it was the fastest for all athletes. I think it's because the City managed to close down the N2, so we did not have to worry about cars."

He used the race to prepare for the Full Ironman, to be held in Port Elizabeth in February.

For Van Lierde, one of the most impressive things about yesterday's race was the East London crowd that cheered the athletes' every effort. "The course was not that bad and the weather was good, but for me the crowd was just awesome."

Cartmell echoed his words, saying that he was told that the East London crowd was the biggest for an inaugural Ironman 70.3 event.

Women's winner Ficker also enjoyed the cycle course, which started at transition from swimming at Orient Beach and went down the Esplanade, past Buffalo Park Cricket Grounds to the R72, and then on to the N2 and back to transition to running.

"I really enjoyed this course and the municipality did us a big favour by closing off the highway. The run course was not easy, and I think the humidity played a big part."

However, Ironman is not only about professional athletes, it is about crossing the finish line and many of the 900 athletes who took part achieved that dream.