Ironman 2017 - PE

[IceCreamMan]

Next week this time I should be around 15 kays from T2 if all goes well.

 

Had my start of taper 90 minute massage this morning. Feel like a million bucks an ready as I'll ever be. Chilled week ahead.

 

Good luck all.

[shaper]

https://www.facebook.com/supersport/videos/10154251714401160/?pnref=story

[SwissVan]

Next week this time I should be around 15 kays from T2 if all goes well.

 

Had my start of taper 90 minute massage this morning. Feel like a million bucks an ready as I'll ever be. Chilled week ahead.

 

Good luck all.

Yeah good luck all and hope you have a good week leading up to the race.

 

Btw I saw in the news that one of the race favorites Fredrick van Lierde was mugged while out riding in PE by some teenagers.....those of you heading out to PE early and planning a training ride stay aware ????

[ScottCM]

Good luck to all for Sunday, may you arrive at the start line safely, mind and body fresh and ready to become an Ironman / Get a PB or just finish in one piece

[banna]

Good luck to all for Sunday, may you arrive at the start line safely, mind and body fresh and ready to become an Ironman / Get a PB or just finish in one piece

Thx boet. Not a PB year for me, but regardless, always just happy to be on a start line.

[gummibear]

Yeah good luck all and hope you have a good week leading up to the race.

 

Btw I saw in the news that one of the race favorites Fredrick van Lierde was mugged while out riding in PE by some teenagers.....those of you heading out to PE early and planning a training ride stay aware

Yeah....there were 2 attacks in the same area on Friday.

 

What gets to me is that IMSA aren't warning the athletes about the area.

[gummibear]

 

Cycling Ironman champ attacked 

 

March 25, 2017

 Hendrick Mphande and Shaun Gillham

http://i1.wp.com/www.heraldlive.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/getimage.jpg?resize=630%2C446Frederik van Lierde

In violent ambushes on the same notorious stretch of road two cyclists – one an Ironman triathlon champion training for next week’s event in Port Elizabeth – were attacked by road mugging gangs yesterday.

The attack on 2015 Ironman South Africa champion and 2013 Ironman world champion Frederik van Lierde of Belgium has cast a shadow on the metro’s hosting of next year’s Ironman World Championships.

Van Lierde was mugged and robbed of his cellphone along Walmer’s crime hotspot, Victoria Drive, during a practice session.

Just hours earlier, 57-year-old recreational cyclist and newcomer to Port Elizabeth Leon Killian was also mugged by a group of men on the same stretch of road.

Four unidentified thugs blocked Van Lierde, who was practising for the April 2 event in Port Elizabeth.

Ironman communications specialist Michael Flanagan said: “The suspects slowed him down by standing in front of him and he was pushed to one side of the road. They hit him on the head with sticks, but fortunately he was wearing a helmet.”

The thugs made off with Van Lierde’s iPhone7 and his sunglasses.

An eye-witness immediately contacted race organisers to alert them.

Police spokesman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the attack had happened at 3.40pm when Van Lierde, 37, was cycling in preparation for the Ironman.

He was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Ironman managing director Keith Bowler said it was highly disappointing.

“The event is there to promote Nelson Mandela Bay. This is not good for the 2018 world championships,” he said.

Earlier in the day, agricultural researcher and self-employed stock market investor Killian was attacked by five young men while cycling on Victoria Drive.

It is not known whether the incidents are linked.

Killian’s attackers made off with his cellphone and a rucksack which contained gym clothes and his wallet containing bank cards and other items.

“I had been warned about Victoria Drive, but I had seen cyclists there before and it was during the day so I thought it would be safe.

“I was cycling to Schoenmakerskop. Just as I passed the bend where the shacks are right next to the road, these guys came from behind and grabbed my rucksack, pulling me off the bike,” he said.

“They pushed me to the ground and started hitting and kicking me. I fought back and held onto my bike, which they were trying to pull away from me.

“I was shouting for help and some people came out of the shacks and just looked at me. None of them helped me.

“A woman driving past saw what had happened and she stopped and helped me. She took me to the police station, where I reported the attack and managed to freeze my bank cards,” Killian said.

His legs were hurt in the attack. He said after reporting the incident to the police he had accompanied officers back to the scene, where they made an unsuccessful attempt to locate the suspects who, according to Killian, were known to locals in the area.

“There was a man at the place where I was attacked. He said he knew one or more of the suspects who were known to hang out at the rubbish dump [Arlington tip]. He was too afraid to help me though. He was scared as he knew some of the suspects and was afraid they would harm him,” Killian said.

Flanagan said Van Lierde was treated at the St George’s Hospital where tests were conducted.

“He was in good spirits after he was discharged,” Flanagan said.

“Every effort is being made by city officials, the police and the organisers to apprehend the perpetrators. We plan to have visible metro policing on the routes during training sessions of the Ironman.”

Naidu said officials had been deployed where the attacks occurred.

[Garfield2010]

So they took his sunglasses and phone but left the R300k bike.  Fortunately those idiots didn't know the value.

 

These are obviously the same 4 guys.  They need to lock them up them before this weekend.

 

PE need to act if it wants to keep its reputation intact of being the "friendly city".

[gummibear]

 

 

PE need to act if it wants to keep its reputation intact of being the "friendly city".

They need to up their game if they want to keep 70.3 World Champs there next year.

 

I was reading some comments on different tri groups about this incident and athletes are worried about their safety in PE.

[IceCreamMan]

_{I will be cycling there on Friday in the morning. I have received an email to say that there will be activie policing on the road between 8:30 and 13:30 this week. Plus there is bound to be a lot of cyclists around at that time.}

 

_{Appalling incident, I trust he will recover sufficiently to win on Sunday. My fellow countryman so I need to support him.}

[GAP]

Cycled the weekend and there was visible policing along the route, lot's of cyclists on the route, my hand soar from saying good morning, but nice vibe.

[bierfeesten]

What is everyone's finishing time goal?

15:50 for me

106kg first full IM

I will be happy with that

[IMan777]

What is everyone's finishing time goal?

I went a whole different route with regards to training intensity and volume this year by training with my wife but if all goes to plan....

SWIM: 1:20

BIKE: 6:30

RUN: 5:00

 

This will be my wife's first IM and my 4th but I am actually super nervous..... 

[Garfield2010]

Windguru shows virtually no wind predicted. Will however wait until Thursday before getting too excited. Disc is definately getting packed

[SwissVan]

So they took his sunglasses and phone but left the R300k bike. Fortunately those idiots didn't know the value.

 

These are obviously the same 4 guys. They need to lock them up them before this weekend.

 

PE need to act if it wants to keep its reputation intact of being the "friendly city".

Ja I saw the news reported in a Swiss newspaper this morning, right next to the article about Nino winning the epic.... yet another nail in the tourism coffin

[Garfield2010]

I also don't think people must overreact.  Not too long ago Sofie Goos was stabbed while out running in Antwerp Belgium and was critically injured.  Then in other places like Boston terrorists have attacked killing numerous people so lets try and keep this in perspective.

 

I don't think a guy being robbed of an i-phone by teenagers should place the 2018 worlds 70.3 in jeopardy just yet.  

 

The reporting is also contradicting as they say they hit him on the head with a stick but he was wearing his helmet.  They then say he fell unconscious but this is inconstant with him being released from hospital shortly after arrival.  I would have thought they would have at least kept him overnight for monitoring purposes had the above been true.  And he has already said he is racing on Sunday so I think maybe the whole story is a bit over inflated all things considered (not saying its acceptable)   

 

What is more importantly is how PE reacts and in terms of what I have read it seems they are being proactive.

 

I think it is time we move on and focus on the awesome weekend coming up.