Wiso had 15% DNF.

IM NEW ZEALAND! It's a fabulous race, always the first Saturday of March. I've been 4 times in the past three years so I highly recommend the place. A friend who has done IM Canada 7 times went to NZ this past year and said NZ was better.

I also have IM France on my "want to do" list.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I'm thinking of doing IM Germany in 2005, which willbe my first. I've spent some time in NZ when I was younger and can say it's a beautiful place. I think it is along way to go and you may have more jet lag to contend with.

If everything goes to plan, I hope to spend two weeks in Germany, with the first couple of days getting over the jet lag. I don't know about you, but I want my first IM to be in fresh water also. I don't know what IM NZ has.

I second Clm on IM NZ done both IMC and IM NZ and they are on par. Streets ahead of IMF for atmosphere and support. Also Roth is worth a visit as well.

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Simple Simon
Where's the Fried Chicken??

wow.... the results show 270 dnfs for wisconsin. i read in the updates that 150 dnf'd, but that must have been an early report. sheesh, 15% seems a bit crazy doesn't it? i was amazed last year how few dnfs there were. any idea on what a normal attrition rate is, and what the highest has been?

anyhow, nz looks like a great one. although, i can't think of a venue further away..... time change was okay?

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It's not easy to juggle a pregnant wife and a troubled child, but somehow I managed to squeeze in 8 hours of TV a day - Homer Simpson

I would highly recommend both IMCanada and NewZealand. Even if you buy your way in with a community slot, Canada will be a less expensive race. Both are well run, but as a 7x Canada and only 1x NZ, I would tip my hat to Canada.

Friends have also raved about Germany (Roth, not the new one), Switzerland, France, and Brazil. I think any Mdot race will be run at a level appropriate of the expectations so it will be hard to go wrong.

Where ever you go, enjoy!

Anyone got any information about Ironman Switzerland? I may have the opportunity to go to Switzerland next summer around the time of the race, and I'm considering making it my first IM.

RP

NZ and time change....

Coming from the West Coast of the US, it's only 3 hours (plus a day, but who cares if it's Monday or Tuesday). It's like going from NY to SF or SF to Hawaii. No problem at all with the time change going over. Coming back (west to east) is another story.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I say if you can get into Canada, make that your first choice. Absolutely a fantastic race, great scenery, unbelievable support - I loved it. I also did IM Austria and recommend it as a possible p.r. course 9for your first, its great). Its a lake swim (too many turns though, and the canal gets packed with people). But once out of the water, so long as you pace yourself right, the bike can be fast (fastest IM bike split is on this course) and run is flat as can be. Good luck and enjoy.

I've done IM Canada three times and IM New Zealand once, and I'd like to go back and do both of them again... and again.

I would give a slight nod to Canada for the unbeatable course, the surreal desert climate, and the enthusiastic and warm locals. Taupo has the superior swim venue in a crystal clear lake you can drink out of, a pretty damn boring and deceptively challenging bike course, and a good but not exciting run course, but the main feature is that it's in New Zealand, which means it's populated by Kiwis. And in my book Kiwis are some of the nicest and most genuine people on this orb -- well, except when they want to beat you, then they're mean as rabid dawgs.

Both places are easy to get to from Vancouver and Auckland, respectively. Penticton takes me around 5.5 hours and Taupo was about 4 hours.

I did Lanzarote and Switzerland this year and they were both very well organized. It depends what you're looking for, Lanzarote is tough is early in the season but it's also so unique and beautiful that it's worth the extra effort. Zurich is not a piece of cake either, although not as hard as Lanzarote, but it's at the end of July so you've got an extra 2 months of training in good weather. The real great thing about Lanzarote is that there are not too many competitors, thus very often on the bike you find yourself with nobody in front or behind you for miles. It's more like I thought IM was meant to be. Should you want more info about Zurich email me, my sister lives there and I can provide you with any type of information you may need.
ffortini@hotmail.com
Filippo

I am from Switzerland and have done IM Switzerland this summer. If you have questions just ask.

Felix

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http://www.weilenmann.ch.vu