Ueb

MESSAGE FROM RACE DIRECTOR

Dear Athletes,

I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank each and everyone of you for participating in Ironman Malaysia Triathlon 2007. Also to many of you who have registered and could not make it to the start line which could have been due to the peak season, flights were over booked, no hotels and etc. we sincerely feel sorry for you but hope you could return for the race on 2008. The temperature on race day have rose up to 30 degree Celsius, yet we had quite a big number of finishers and 85% of the athletes completed the race within the official cut off time. Even though I did not had the time to meet each and everyone of you personally during registration, race briefing or at other function but I believe all your needs, queries and doubts are answered and taken care. Please spread the word around about Ironman Malaysia "The Friendlist Venue" and hope to see you back in Langkawi for 2008. Book early your hotel and flights to avoid disappointment. 2008 is a Visit Kedah Year and once again it will be a peak period in Langkawi.

A. Chandrakumanan

Race Director

SPECIAL DISCOUNTS FOR EARLY BIRDS!!!

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT

Registration till 30 June 2007 - Entry Fees US240

Registration from 1st July till 30th September 2007 - Entry Fees US280

Registration from 1st October 2007th till 31st December 2007- Entry Fees is US320

Registration from 1st January 2008 till 1st February 2008 - Entry Fees is US360

Click here to Register Online

Fotos at ASIphoto.com availible

We are very pleased to inform all participants and friends that the photos from Ironman Malaysia Langkawi 2007 are availible. Please click on the follow link

www.asiphoto.com

Website Update for Ironman Malaysia Langkawi 2008

Our website is being upgrading and we are preparing to register participants for 2008. Look out for early bird discount which will be made available in two weeks time.

Tough day in Langkawi did not stop Xavier Le Floch and Nicole Leder

Frenchman Xavier Le Floch and Germany???‚¬?„?s Nicole Leder managed to outlast their competition at Lotto Ironman Malaysia today thanks to a patient race strategy that, in part, was dependant upon their competition wilting in the oppressive heat that defines this difficult race.

Le Floch came off the bike in close proximity to the leaders, but Leder found herself well behind race favorites Bella Comerford and Nina Kraft as she started the marathon. In the end, the two multiple-Ironman champions ahead of the German pulled out of the race, leaving the door open for the 35-year-old to claim her third Ironman title. (Leder won Ironman Asia in 2000 and Ironman Brazil in 2002.)

Considered one of the toughest Ironman events, this year the race on the beautiful island of Langkawi proved even more of a challenge thanks to a new bike course that included many steep hills. While the temperature didn???‚¬?„?t hit record highs, it did reach the high 30s Celsius (close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit) which, coupled with the high humidity, made things very difficult for the competitors.

The day began with a warm swim in Kuah Bay. The athletes entered the water close to the famed Eagle Statue that provides a unique backdrop for the transition area and finish here at Lotto Ironman Malaysia.

Leading the way out of the water was New Zealand???‚¬?„?s two-time Ironman Malaysia champ, Bryan Rhodes, who was quite happy to set the pace on the bike, too. Rhodes couldn???‚¬?„?t pull away from some of his quick competition, and found himself spending much of the ride in a group that included Great Britain???‚¬?„?s Andrew Johns and Stephen Bayliss, Australia???‚¬?„?s Mitch Dean, Brazil???‚¬?„?s Reinaldo Colucci, and Le Floch.

With just 15 km to go on the bike Johns got a flat tire which dropped him from the group as they rode into T2. Rhodes once again tried to open a gap on the men around him starting the run, but it didn???‚¬?„?t take long before Le Floch had moved to a lead that he wouldn???‚¬?„?t relinquish. Johns managed to slowly move his way into second, but as he tried to push towards the front during the third lap of the four-loop course, Le Floch answered with a surge of his own that brought him to the line well ahead.

Johns came second, while Dean hung on for third. Byunhoong Park ran his way to fourth, a position ahead of the fastest runner on the day, Austria???‚¬?„?s Gernot Seidl, who used a 2:58 marathon (the only sub-three-hour run of the day) to claim fifth.

The battle of attrition saw Bayliss fade to sixth, and Colucci move down the rankings to 10^th.

The fastest age group athlete of the day was Austrian Thomas Vonach, who finished ninth overall.

Kraft handily led the women???‚¬?„?s race until about 135 km into the bike, when she was joined by a determined Comerford. By the end of the 180 km cycling leg the two were caught by Alison Fitch, setting up a dramatic start to the run that saw all three women within seconds of each other.

Kraft took off through the first two loops of the run, seeming on her way to another Ironman title in her first Ironman appearance since testing positive for EPO at the Ford Ironman World Championship in 2005.

Kraft suddenly pulled out of the race at the halfway point of the marathon, and was shortly followed to the sidelines by Comerford. That left Fitch in the lead, but she couldn???‚¬?„?t hold off the steady Leder, who overcame a gap of more than 15 minutes to eventually pass Fitch and cruise home for the win.

Fitch gamely hung on for second, holding off Yoko Hori. Rebecca Preston, who has only been training for about three weeks, considered her fourth place finish ???‚¬?“as good as a win.???‚¬? Fellow Aussie Belinda Harrison rounded out the top five, while last year???‚¬?„?s champion, Sonya Tajsich had the second-fastest run split of the day to move her to sixth.

There were record 700 over competitors who registered from 38 countries for this race  enjoying a truly unique event that certainly lives up to it???‚¬?„?s billing as the ???‚¬?“Toughest Show on Earth.???‚¬?