The 2017 edition of the Ironman World Championship gets underway on Saturday and it is no surprise to see that the two-time defending champion Daniela Ryf is an overwhelming favourite for a third women's title in a row at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Like Jan Frodeno in the men's edition, the Swiss star has won the past two editions of the race, in 2015 and 2016, and 'Angry Bird' is the bookmakers' fancy to emulate her compatriot Natascha Badmann by winning three IM world titles in a row.
Badmann won three successive Kona crowns from 2000 to 2002 before adding a further two titles in 2004 and 2005, with Ryf set to pick up the baton for Switzerland by calling in a new era of dominance.
Ryf had struggled with a back injury during the early part of the year but still won the IM South Africa in sub-nine hours, while the 30-year-old hadn't put in the training she had wanted before Challenge Roth and still went home with another victory under her belt. Ryf then won the IM 70.3 World Championship in Tennessee last month and the bare results of 2017 would suggest that the Swiss star is at the peak of her triathlon powers and it is difficult to see anyone being able to knock her off her perch in Kona this weekend.
Burning the legs with some big gear hill repeats. 🔥🚴🏼♀ #strengthwork #roadtokona
📽: Robbie Haywood
The British Hopefuls
Great Britain's Rachel Joyce is increasingly looking like the most likely challenger to Ryf in Hawaii as the 39-year-old bids to enhance a quite sensational record at Kona. Joyce's worst ever result at IM Kona was a finish of 11th in 2011 and she has been a model of consistency in this race throughout her career, taking silver in 2013 and 2015 either side of a bronze in 2014. Joyce missed the 2016 race for the birth of her son, Archie, and she is looking to enhance a stunning run of results, with her seven appearances at Kona since her debut there in 2009 yielding finishes of 6th, 5th, 4th, 11th, 2nd, 3rd, 2nd respectively.
There are also high hopes for Susie Cheetham of Great Britain as the 31-year-old finished 3rd in South Africa and won the South African Regional Championship in Brazil this year. Cheetham, who is one of the best runners on the circuit, has improved her swim immensely and she finished 6th at Kona in 2015. Other British entries include Leanda Cave, Laura Siddall, Lucy Charles, Corinne Abraham and Nikki Bartlett.
The Best Of The Rest
Australia's Sarah Crowley has won a couple of regional titles in Cairns and Frankfurt as she continues her progression from Olympic to 70.3 to IM distance and the 34-year-old is bidding to improve on her 15th place finish from 2016.
Kaisa Sali, who was 5th twelve months ago, was second at IM South Africa, while Denmark's Michelle Vesterby has a strong Kona record having finished 4th in 2015 and 6th in 2016. Heather Jackson was 5th in 2015 before her 3rd place effort in 2016 saw the 33-year-old become the first American woman to finish on the podium since 2006.
In truth, it doesn't seem as if anyone has improved enough in the past two months to displace the indomitable Daniela Ryf in Hawaii and the Swiss star should prove to be too good again.
