Ironman Wisconsin

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Ironman Wisconsin, Last year’s defending champions are both back to race at Ford Ironman Wisconsin this weekend. Australian Chris McDonald of Australia and American Hillary Biscay, who won her first Ironman title in Madison last year, will face some tough compeition on Sunday as they try to defend their titles.
McDonald, posted his first Ironman victory at the inaugural Ford Ironman Louisville in 2007, returning to that race in 2008 to claim second place. He followed that just one week later with his win at the 2008 Ford Ironman Wisconsin for his second title, setting a new course record with a time of 8:43:29. Other athletes expected to contend for the win include South Africa’s Raynard Tissink, Germany’s Maximilian Longree and Petr Vabrousek of the CzechRepublic. Tissink has five Ironman titles on his resume and most recently placed third at Ford Ironman Louisville on August 30th. Vabrousek has posted a number of Ironman top-three finishes including a third place at the 2008 Ford Ironman Florida and a second place at Ford Ironman Lake Placid also in 2008. Longree was last year’s Ford Ironman Louisville champion.

In addition to her win here in Wisconsin last year, Biscay had several other podium finishes in 2008 including a third place at Ford Ironman Lake Placid and a second place result at Ironman Brazil. She will face another former Ford Ironman Wisconsin champion in Gina Ferguson of New Zealand. Ferguson won this event in 2007 and still holds the overall course record. Her most recent Ironman win was at the 2009 Ironman New Zealand in her home country. Ali Fitch had a breakthrough season in 2008, posting a second place finish at Subaru Ironman Canadaand a third place at the Ironman 70.3 Singapore.

Ford Ironman Wisconsin takes place for the eighth time in Madison and the surrounding Dane county on Sunday. More than 2,200 athletes from around the world are expected to compete in the Madison event, as competitors will be vying for 72qualifying spots to the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in addition to the $30,000 pro prize purse.