Sanders is an amazing athelte but iam happy to bet each of the people that have Sanders on the podium 50 bucks against it.

I've got the same picks, but reckon Kessler will take it on form for the women. The cool thing with 70.3 is it is so stacked with guys/girls that could take it out. Throw in the backstory of all the itu guys finally coming through and it's a mad race.

Not on the podium but sanders is my dark horse.

Kona is amazing and will be no1 for a long time to come, but I do wonder if in 10 years time, the 70.3 worlds will almost be as big a news story.

I will take that bet if it were legal for us to do so. Mechanicals on the bike would not count of course.

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Swimmer
http://www.usprotri.com/LAMASTRA.html
http://www.bodyphyxinternational.com

Men-
1. Kienle
2. Gomez
3. Frodeno

Women-
1. Hauschlidt
2. Jackson
3. Frederiksen

Getting harder and harder to pick every year, so many stellar performances by so many different athletes!

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Tim Russell, Pro Triathlete

Instagram- @timbikerun

What made you change the course? Just more spectator friendly at 2 loops?

I liked that the trail was paved for Ironman, I think that and conditions def made it faster than years past.

As for my picks

1. Frodo
2. Gomez
3. Kienle
4. Saunders ( I think he will be too far down on the swim and the top guys run form is too good for him to catch)
5. Don

Correct, more spectator friendly, we estimate very large crowds for the Worlds next weekend.
We are also bringing the athletes higher up in the Pedrestrian village, they will climb that little steep hill between the merchants going up to Place St-Bernard so that section will be very exciting as well.

The course is also more difficult as we removed the flat section on the Ptit train du Nord.

My thoughts exactly.

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Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram

29:57 10km...my guess he will be ready, these guys recover much faster than most....

Gomez, Frodeno, Don

Ryf, Hauschildt, Vodickova

ok we are on then
Virtual handshake from my side ( if you are serious)
payment via paypal.

Gomez
Kienle
Don

Hauschildt
Luxford
Kessler

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Dan Meehan
Coach / Athlete

x2 - championship race with a big front pack of ITU caliber swimmers is very different than the races Sanders has been winning (small to non-existent front pack, riding through guys going solo or in smaller packs). Plus Frodo and Gomez have shown run speed that is equal to or better.

1. Gomez
2. Frodo
3. McMahon

1. Ryf
2. Hauschildt
3. Jackson

i really like going up the extra hills in the resort. and will likely be cursing you guys going down those same hills :-)

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run well, run happy
george

Pretty much agree but not sure about the order of the guys but tough to go against Kienle even with strong runners like Frodo and Gomez.

Would love for Gomez to win and finish a great season.

Let me be the first to tell you how much we appreciate this! :)

That said, it was definitely the right thing to do to make the run way more exciting for the fans and even for the competitors!

Is this legal? I really don't know.

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Swimmer
http://www.usprotri.com/LAMASTRA.html
http://www.bodyphyxinternational.com

saying sanders has beaten weak fields is a slap in the face of a few folks, namely the real real Starky. Who knows what happens this weekend but is it crazy to think this guy is special? His talent and work ethic are special. Like generatiinal special. This kid can run a 1:02 open half and ride as well as anyone in the sport right now. I can't wait to see this weekend. Nothing is a given and I'm probably a year early in this promotion but I will bet on Lionel all day.

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Swimmer
http://www.usprotri.com/LAMASTRA.html
http://www.bodyphyxinternational.com

Just crazy how fast these guys are. Not sure how long the Grand Final has been the weekend before the 70.3 worlds, I'm sure it's googleable... but has anyone ever won the WTS and 70.3 in the same year before?

Anyone have any idea why Potts isn't racing???

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"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

Me too! I had to google him. I'm amazed that somebody things he is going to beat an olympic champ that has almost won every 70.3 he had entered this year and Gomez!

Top 3 Men

Jan
Javier
Seb

Top 3 Women

Hauschild
Jackson
Swallow

Nice backtrack ( and if you are serious you have my virtual handshake anytime before the race.
( and we agree he has talent and he will go very far in the next few years )

if you had to google him that says more about you than him ;-)

[/quote]
Maybe but I stand by my original offer $50 or £50 that he doesn't win! Happy to put my money where my mouth is and pay the money to a neutral pre the result. Just pm if you want to take me up on it.

You forget that i say he dosnt make the podium ;-)
what iam saying is, he is an upcomming athlete that must have won 5 X 70.3 races in the last 12 month and is a legitimate top 10 contender ....one should not need to goggle.

But overall I see this race as open as an Itu grand final without the brownlees and gomez.

Point well made. Lets see what happens on the day. I must admit that I'm a little surprised to see Tim Don on some people's podium. He also has had some good results and I think the hilly bike will help him but isn't the strongest biker. Lets see him prove me wrong.

Actually, if I could have a dark house then I would take Ivan Rana!