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australia ironman(s) which one to choose from
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Which ironman in Australia, has the best/easiest logistics, as far as hotel to race location, and without a lot of travel between each discipline locations. Trying to avoid renting a car if initially possible.
Also which month would have weather conditions a little cooler.
as far as prior or afterwards, which location has diving trips as a excursion.
thanks.
tim

tim nicholls
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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Hey mate, not being especially helpful here.... But I thought I'd give you some info on Western Australia busselton IM...
Race is about 2.5 h from perth airport...
There are plenty of bed and breakfasts and small hotels located very close to the race as it is a tourist based destination...
Takes place in December... Often it can be warm as it is a hot summer month for most of Western Australia but it can also sometimes miss the hotter weather due to it being south of perth...
Can't comment on diving, but I think there might be a few locations.

Jeremy
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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You can fly into Port Macquarie and stay right in town near race precinct. You wouldn't need a car for that.

Melbourne would be a hastle. Race precinct (start, T1, T2) all in Frankston a marathon run away from where you should (i.e. where it's nice) stay. If you'll have family specating it's also a bit problematic on the run without a vehicle or careful planning and using bicycles or the train. They could get a cab to finish line and you guys could all get one to return to Frankston if you stayed there.

Not sure about Cairns, but I don't think you'd need one there. You can fly into Cairns easily.

Coaching - Future Endurance
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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I'll answer the last question first and say if you're after diving, Cairns is your obvious choice. Direct access to the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. Your biggest problem will be which location to dive.

I've done Cairns 4 times (3 halves and a full) and the split transition is a hassle but not a deal breaker. Race organisation provides adequate transport options so you don't need a rental vehicle.

Plenty of accommodation options and you are in the heart of one of the most popular tourist destinations in the whole country. There's a reason for that. It's absolutely stunning.
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [downesy] [ In reply to ]
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downesy wrote:
... one of the most popular tourist destinations in the whole country. There's a reason for that. It's absolutely stunning.
+1
Go to Cairns :) Difference between Frankston and Cairns is akin to comparing New Jersey with the Big Island...

Coaching - Future Endurance
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [downesy] [ In reply to ]
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downesy wrote:
I'll answer the last question first and say if you're after diving, Cairns is your obvious choice. Direct access to the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. Your biggest problem will be which location to dive.

I've done Cairns 4 times (3 halves and a full) and the split transition is a hassle but not a deal breaker. Race organisation provides adequate transport options so you don't need a rental vehicle.

Plenty of accommodation options and you are in the heart of one of the most popular tourist destinations in the whole country. There's a reason for that. It's absolutely stunning.

+1
Cairns is an awesome race and easy to get around. Even though it rained the whole time it was still a great location & race.
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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Cairns... Watching the crowd get more pissed and more supportive each lap of the run is cool as... Makes you jealous tho ...
The ride is sweet too....
This years conditions challenged it from an enjoyment aspect but the families and crowds toughing it out too just made you appreciate them all the more......it was an awesome atmosphere.....
And you can come straight out the finishers area cross the road to the pub and have the locals shout you a beer without even asking... Good bastards....
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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+1 on Cairns also.

Not sure the reasons to not want to rent a car, but you certainly need to dive the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). If you are doing Cairns, I'll highly recommend that you also do the Green Island Swim a few days prior. Good tune up and the swim is out over the reef. Rent a car, drive up to the rainforest (do the Cooper Creek Wilderness tour), spend some time at Palm Cove (now the swim start location).

Can fly directly into Cairns to minimize travel. Finish and run in downtown provides lots of spectators.

I didn't do race last year in 2014, but did in 2013. Not sure how the race logistics now work or don't work. Loved logistically how it was in 2013, although I hated about 14 of the first 15 miles of the run.....
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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I would highly recommend IM Australia in Port Macquarie ... It's a great small town with lots to offer athletes and families and is a very scenic course ... I've done it twice and have signed up again for next year which will be my 15th Ironman having just completed IMMT this past Sunday which I also give very high marks .
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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Another vote for Cairns.

No need for a car as the airport is 10 min from town. The Hilton & Shangri La are a 2-min walk from the finish line & T2. Great options for breakfast/lunch/dinner all within walking distance. Swim & T1 are a bit out if town but it's an easy bike ride to rack you'd bike the day before and shuttles bring you back to town. There are also ample shuttles on race morning. The weather was crap this year but that is uncommon.

As for diving, you have a ton of options from day trips to multiple-day liveaboards.

Anything else you want to know, just ask.
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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Going with Jeremy on this one....IM WA. Loved it and the area. Course is great, the people are great....and the Gelato....authentic and made by Italians (my family went a couple of times).

David

------------------------------------------------------------
Never forget those that sacrificed for your freedom.
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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I've been to Cairns many times and dived there too, but never done the IM. While I mostly agree with everything said about the people and the place, it has the downside of having the swim and T1 in a different location, 28 km away from T2 and the finish. Also, while the Barrier Reef has some amazing diving, you would be best doing a liveaboard than the day-trips which mostly all go to the same reefs with hundreds of divers a day. My last experience diving there 7 years ago with my new bride left both of us saddened by the state of the reef at the day-trip dive locations we went to.

On the other hand, I have been to Busselton and done IM Western Australia a few times and endorse what the others have said about this race. While I usually rent a car in Perth and drive the 3 hours to Busselton, last December I took a bus from the airport, and where I stayed in town was within a 5 to 10 minute walk to everything. The race venue is compact and the whole town supports the race and has a festive feel about it for the whole week of the Ironman. My wife loves coming with me as she has made friends with the Dive operators there, and usually does 2 or 3 days of diving, including the morning of the race. Not only is the Busselton Jetty an amazing dive, but there is a wreck (the Swan) and some very cool reef dives too.

IMWA is in early December, which is summer time in Australia, and while temperatures are generally warm, it is far enough south that it's not too hot. Mean December temps are highs of 27 degrees Celsius and lows of 13 degrees Celsius. It does get windy, and the prevailing weather systems come from the SouthWest.

I haven't done IM Australia in Port Maquarie but I have been there many times and I have dived around that area, but not out of Port Maquarie itself. The town and people are very nice and there are beaches and dive sites that can be accessed by boat and from shore. Hope this helps.
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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We went to Cairns this year and I'll be honest - the place really didn't do it for me. The race itself was flawless despite the logistics and weather, but as a destination all it has going for it is the diving as that's what you're into and looking for. I couldn't get over why you'd build a town on that fugly bay, shit brown water with signs everywhere telling you not to swim.

I asked a local what would happen if I walked down to the waters edge on the sand in the town and they basically told me it'd make the news if you walked down there. There's sinking sand, and if you make it past that the waters edge isn't somewhere you wanna hang around.

The town itself - yeah it's ok, the food was a little overpriced but you expect that on the sea front. Everything seemed dirty to me - I wouldn't be in a hurry to go back.

Now if I were an Aussie, and I were looking for a destination Ironman, considering the cost of internal flights you guys have to pay, I'd be looking at a cheap trans-Tasman flight into Christchurch. Hire a care and drive over to Wanaka and race Challenge.

Only issue re me selling you this is the diving, but you could go swim with the whales etc on the coast after the race if that floats your boat. But I sure as hell wouldn't be sinking a couple of K into going back to Cairns any time soon.

SB.
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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I live 2hrs out of busso. IMWA can be hot at that time of year, its a bit hit and miss. Very flat course and the locals get right into it, busso has a tri history of sorts and is very much embraced. The problem for you is if you fly in to Sydney/Melbourne, its another 4 or 5hrs flight to fly across the other side of Aus. Diving here is good with what was mentioned above off the jetty which is one long bastard i must say. You look at it from the shore and think 'we have to swim that fuc*in far?!!!'. Accomadation is plentiful and very close, just book quickly if you can.
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]
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I'm just tagging onto this thread as I'm travelling from the UK to do IMWA this year. Do you know if I can bring maltodextrin powder into Australia? I'm told that it should be easy to buy malto in Perth as it's used for brewing beer, but I'm getting straight on the bus to Busso, so do you know if you can buy it anywhere in Busso?

Thanks,
Will
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [Barlow] [ In reply to ]
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theres healthfood shops so i cant imagine it would be a problem. You wont have an issue putting malto in your suitcase, i wouldnt use it as carry-on though in case they think your a crack addict ;)....Failing that i have heaps of HEED and all that crap if you need some, I may come down to watch this year. But they have a tri specific shop in busso called 'The Fat Duck' and they have heaps of energy supplies so you wont get caught out.
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [ironmantim] [ In reply to ]
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Busselton is very awesome though it may not fulfil the hire car caveat. The course uber flat, great location, pristine beaches and some good diving (some man-made reef/sunken war vessels), great wineries nearby, good food and awesome weather.
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]
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Haha, yeah don't really want to get stopped in customs with a bag of white powder. Especially as most triathletes look like drug addicts. :-) Cheers for the info. I'll check out 'the fat duck'. Might see you if you come to watch.
Will
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Re: australia ironman(s) which one to choose from [steve_c] [ In reply to ]
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is there any diving either scuba or free diving in this area, looking to do this after the race ?
in port Macquarie?

tim nicholls
Last edited by: ironmantim: Aug 21, 14 10:51
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