Nathan Miller, Carolyn Dews, Ben Bell and Scott Ashcroft.Picture: GREG TOTMAN
TRIATHLON
Four of the Illawarra's fittest endurance athletes will compete in the World Championship Hawaii Ironman next month.
The event is one of the most gruelling in the world, incorporating a 3.8-kilometre swim, 180-kilometre bike ride followed by 42-kilometre run.
The athletes, all members of the Illawarra Triathlon Club, are Carolyn Dews, Steve Newman, Ben Bell and Scott Ashcroft.
Dews has competed twice before in the event in 2009 and 2011. Her goal is to improve on previous performances.
"I am looking forward to the opportunity to again compete in Hawaii and drawing on my previous experience to make this my best performance yet," Dews said.
Bell also competed in the event in 2011. Bell qualified at the Australian Ironman event at Port Macquarie, where he came sixth overall in a time of 9 hours 3 minutes and beat many of the professionals.
Ashcroft is relatively new to triathlon. He started training for Ironman Port Macquarie in January this year, the same time as his second child was born.
Ashcroft completed Port Macquarie in a fast time of 9 hours 18 minutes to book his spot to Hawaii.
"I only ever planned to complete one Ironman, but after discussions with some of the Illawarra's experienced triathletes, couldn't pass up the opportunity when I qualified for Hawaii," he said.
All three athletes were previously coached by Mark Scott, who provided the inspiration for them to participate in triathlon.
Their present coach Nathan Miller of Project M Training is excited at the prospect of having three of his athletes compete in such a high profile event.