Men:
1st - Jan Frodeno
2nd - Sebastian Kienle
3rd - Ben Hoffman

Women:
1st - Daniela Ryf
2nd - Mirinda Carfrae
3rd - Rachel Joyce

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I was talking to my dad about it this morning and he gave me his picks which were my picks, Ryf and Frodo, but I am rooting for America so give me: Hoffman and Rinny (yes I know she is Aussie).

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Men:

1. Jan Frodeno
2. Frederik Van Lierde
3. Sebastian Kienle

Women:

1. Daniela Ryf
2. Mirinda Carfrea
3. Jodie Swallow

I definitely believe Ryf will win the woman and Frodo the mens. I also have a sneaking suspicion that Tim Don will surprise us and podium. Would be amazing if he did

I think that there's going to be a lot of repetition in the predictions.
It's a shame that it's not more open, but be have two strong favourites this year.

I predict that that unless Ryf has less than 4-5mins over Rinny in T2, then the best racing is going to be for the lesser podium spots.

Ryf needs to have at least 12-15 mins on Rinny in T2. Ryf runs a 3.05 (ish) marathon and Rinny can do it in 2-50 (ish)
My money is still on Ryf but i won;t be surprise if Rinny runs her down.
The last spot on the podium is really up for grabs, Swallow, Kessler, Mel, Steffen or Joyce,

Men: Frodeno , Seb will fight it out. Last spot could be Potts, FVL or Marino??? Dark horse is Sanders, Hoffman and a few others

shit, yeah. I always forget just how rapid Rinny can be.

I'd love to see Sanders podium, he seem like a good guy.
He's got the dry land skills but I think he might give just a bit too much time away in the water.
I think his strategy will be to try to hold on to Kienle and hook up with the lead bike group that way.

Don't you mean "rooting"? Of course this gives your sentence a very funny tone to us Australians.....

I hope you're right. Frodeno winning would signal a "changing of the guard" with ITU athletes taking the standard up a notch at Kona (much as I like Keinle because of his uber-biker credentials), and Ryf because I think Rinnie has had it her way for too long (her ability to catch others on the run is so impressive but I want to see something different this year).

Men:

1. Kienle
2. Frodeno
3. Matt Hanson
4. Ben Hoffman
5. Lionel Sanders

Women:

1. Rinny
2. Ryf

I know that this is something that has been discussed several times in other threads, but I think that we will see a lot more of this (especially on the mens' side) in the aftermath of Rio 2016. There's a sub-8 Kona performance somewhere in that batch of current top ITU guys IMO

1. Frodeno
2. Kienle
3. Sanders / Boecherer / Vanhoenacker

The OP also asked how we think the race will be fought and I expect and hope that we will have a very exciting race early on. Frodeno will come out of the water well ahead of some of his main rivals (Kienle, Sanders) and he will not want to give away his advantage too easily. And who knows how he biked in Frankfurt, can expect that he will not take it easy but will start the bike course with a pace that very few can match (or if they do, they'll blow up later) so the lead group will be relatively small early on (Boecherer being one of only few athletes in that group).

Kienle and Sanders will have some chasing to do, and as I expect Kienle to get out of the water before Sanders, I'm not sure they'll have the opportunity to work together (although Kienle sometimes starts the bike relatively slowly, so there might be a chance for Sanders to catch him and then they could chase the leaders together).

I can't wait for the race to start.

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Achim Traut

substitute Ben with Brent McMahon and we agree :-)

bold prediction : Best Canadian will be ahead of best American. Go Canada !!

I think the men's race and the tactics that will be played out is more predictable given the last few years.

It will be interesting to see if tactics play a larger role in the women's race. Will there be a large group working against Rinny? Will Rinny try and place better in the swim given? Something has to change.

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____________________________________________________

Fellas
1. Frodo
2. Kienle
3. Don

Ladies
1. Ryf
2. Rinny
3. Blatchford

I think in the Men's race Frodo comes out the swim with the leaders and Kienle has to ride up, at which point Frodo sits in and simply makes sure he is in touch into T2. A decent battle on the run but Frodo eventually pulls away. But I am in no way certain about that, Sebi has been running exceptionally well of late. I just think Frodo's swim and then the strategy on the bike leaves him a bit more in his legs.

Ryf takes too much from Rinny this year into T2. She will make up ground on the run, but not enough. I can see it being a close run thing like the Chrissie chasedown in 2011. Swallow doing well into T2 probably in 2nd, MBE there or thereabouts, both not far behind Ryf. Those guys get run down by Rinny and then eventually passed by either Blatchford or maybe Joyce/Cave.

But who knows!! Feels like we have a good idea who is in the top two in both races, if maybe not the order, but that last spot on the podium is where the action is!!

Cannot wait! Hoping, against all common sense, for better coverage this year and to actually see the significant moments taking place.

I have one word for you son (classic line from "the graduate")

Hanson

so, he's from Minnesota - gotta go with the local boy!

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I saw this on a white board in a window box at my daughters middle school...
List of what life owes you:
1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

Men:
1. Kienle
2. Frodeno
3. McMahon
4. Hanson
5. Sanders

Women:
1. Carfrae
2. Ryf
3. Naeth
4.Joyce
5.Wurtele

So everyone is thinking Sanders blows up? I think he'll add an interesting dynamic because everyone knows he can run.

I like Matt Hanson for the podium. I think he can ride well enough to be only 10' out at T2 and could drop a 2:39. If Keinle, Frodeno and Sanders fight it out on the bike, it could allow Hoffman, McMahon and Hanson to run them down. But they have to ride smart. If the whole pack rides hard as usual, they might blow up on the run.

I think Rinny has been really working on her bike knowing she needs to improve there to have a shot. If the swim isn't too rough, I think she can still run down Ryf.

Wurtele could be a dark horse. Joyce has been really quiet. Could be a good thing. She can almost ride with Ryf and drop a sub 3 run if she has the legs this year.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

Men:
1st - Jan Frodeno
2nd - Sebastian Kienle
3rd - Andy Potts

Women:
1st - Mirinda Carfrae
2nd - Daniela Ryf
3rd - Rachel Joyce

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

w
1 - Ryf
2 - Rinny
3 - Ellis

M
1- Kienle
2- Frondeno
3 - Hoffman

Men

Frodeno
Kienle
Hanson

Women

Ryf
Carfrae
Joyce

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blog

Kienle
Frodo
Rapp

Ryf
Carfrae
Joyce

Yes I messed that one up. Made the change. Thank you :)

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Men:
Frodo
KIenle
Potts

Women:
Ryf
Rinny
Naeth