Written by Guy Besley, Latitude Travel Services, Port Douglas,
Ok, a weekend of eating and drinking has gone on in Port Douglas for the Port Douglas Carnivale, but I want to take a look at the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival. Kicking off in a weeks time with the Coral Coast Triathlon, RRR and the Hekili ocean challenge. With the highlights being the following weekend with the Urban Hotel Group Cairns 70.3 and Cairns Airport Ironman.
These events are HUGE, certainly by sporting standards, but the crowds that will hit the region will be enormous. I havn’t spent as much time looking into the stats this yea, but there will be athletes from all over the world in the region for the best part of a week. So tourism operators; DON’T STUFF UP! Here is you chance to shine!
Anyway, quick tip for the 70.3, I say Tim Berkel to win, he knows the region well, he has won the Tri-Port Long course twice, and came third last year in the Challenge Cairns. But I reckon it wont be easy for him, Pete Jacobs (2nd place in Hawaii) is racing and Josh Rix. To top off Tims tough day in the office he will be joined by Matty White and Luke Mackenzie (I believe these guys maybe coming back to the 70.3 from the full distance) so its sure to be a craker.
So who will win the Cairns Ironman, well most would say 2 time world Champion Craig McCormack, and I would agree, BUT Cameron Brown is on fire, after pushing Crowie all the way in IM Melb a few weeks back. He is definately in form and just missed out on breaking the 8 hour mark by only seconds. But lets not forget a few others, Mitch Anderson, Luke Bell, Leon Griffin (first off the bike I reckon) will be pushing them, not to mention the stalwarts of Jason Shortis and Bryan Rhodes. OK, i’ve named half the field, easy to do that, but it also highlights how big this race is. Then here is my top three. Cam Brown, Macca, then either Jason Shortis or Mitch Anderson. There ya go, Ive put it out there.
Anyway, good luck to all, and Port Douglas, Please support this race! Get out on the streets and show your interested, you may just encourage more of them to spend the rest of their holiday time in Port! Trust me when I say, IM athletes are the perfect customers! Last years average was 2.6 people per competitor! Do the maths guys, its the biggest single opportunity for the region! Oh, and they spend!
btw, if your interested, Lance Armstrong (no intro needed) Just won Florida 70.3, being his first 70.3 win. But not only was that impressive, he ran a 1.15 half marathon, not bad for a cyclist hey.
