IRONMAN NEW ZEALAND 2010

BROWN AS GOOD AS EVER

After an amazing nine victories in Ironman New Zealand it is certainly becoming difficult to find superlatives to describe the irrepressible Cameron Brown and his Taupo domination. Each year new challengers throw new challenges at the champion, but each time he responds with a performance that seems to outdo the last. With that in mind 2010 was no different for Brown as he completed IMNZ win number nine, but in doing so he was forced to call on all his experience and discipline to defeat young Terrenzo Bozzone, the man who Brown has said will one day take over his Taupo throne.

With the small professional field, due largely to the World Triathlon Corporation (the owners of Ironman) new rule requiring professionals to purchase a US$750 pro license each year and the growing number of Ironman races on the calendar, it was clear from the outset that Ironman New Zealand Brown As Good As Ever New Zealand 2010 would come down to a battle between the three main Kiwis in the field – Cameron Brown, Terrenzo Bozzone and Kieran Doe.

In past years a collection of international stars mixing it up with the locals have ensured a close race, at least in the early stages, but that was not the case in Taupo this year. That is not to say the race wasn't exciting however, with the race becoming something of an individual time trial right from the start, as Kieran Doe immediately jumped into the lead on the swim. Doe admitted afterwards that he had his eyes set on the swim record and although he would eventually miss it by around one minute, he did help set up the days racing, albeit without his usual trail blazing tactics. Bozzone was able to hold onto Doe's feet for the first half of the swim, before suffering breathing problems and being forced to ease up and finish one minute behind, whilst Brown was another three minutes down, swimming the entire 3.8km alone in third.

The sight of Kieran Doe trying to ride off the front of an Ironman race has become common place over recent years, but as the first time splits came through it was clear that the dreadlocked athlete had had a change of heart as he was content to wait for Brown, then tuck in behind and watch the show unfold. Instead it was Bozzone who was laying his cards on the table, extending his lead at every time check and looking every part the winner as he built a mammoth eight minute lead after just 90km. "Someone said I had four minutes on Cam, so I thought 'why not try to get five by the turnaround' and then 'why no try to get eight minutes by the time we get back to town?'"

Although he never shows it, Bozzone's tactics were definitely rattling Brown. "I thought the title was gone today, Terrenzo was riding like a man possessed and really took it to me," he said at the finishline. "I was eight minutes down midway through the bike and I thought things might be over, but you never give up. Ironman is a long day and I persevered. I stuck to my game plan – the numbers on my SRM (powermeter) were reading well and if I'd gone any harder I would have blown, so I just held back." Brown knows better than anyone that Ironman is as much a battle with your mind and personal limits, as it is a battle against your opponents and it was that ability to trust himself that ultimately won the race. On the second lap Brown was reassured as the time difference began to drop and by the time they were back at transition to start the run he had stripped Bozzone's lead back to just one minute. "I was probably a bit young, dumb and full of adrenaline on the first lap of the bike," Bozzone admitted immediately after the race. "That's where the lack of experience comes in. I thought the pace was ok and felt that I could ride like that - but obviously not for 180km."

As the run began Brown quickly settled into his customary style and tempo and just after the five kilometre mark finally got in front of Bozzone for the first time that day.

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STORY BY + LIAM SCOPES
PHOTOS COURTESY + PETE BRUGGEMAN