Coast to Coast winner Ussher at Bonita Ironman New Zealand

World's best adventure racer to compete in Taupo

Endurance racing stars Richard Ussher and Cameron Brown will battle out the test of the toughest at next month's Bonita Ironman New Zealand in Taupo. Ussher, who won his third Coast to Coast title last week and is acknowledged as the world's best adventure racer, has confirmed he will compete in Ironman New Zealand on March 1.

He will take on legend Brown who is attempting to become the first man to win the same Ironman race seven times. Ussher said his performance in the Coast to Coast sealed his decision to take part.

“As an endurance athlete I’m aware that Ironman is a truly international event which is a real measure of an athlete,” Ussher said. “For me it’s something I want to tick off and to do so while I am in a competitive state rather than as a 50 year old when solely as an experience.”
Ussher expects to give up to 10 minutes on the leaders out of the 3.8km swim in Lake Taupo but reckons if he can focus on his own race that he will be able to work his way through the field on the 180km cycle and 42km marathon run.

The unknown is the effect of racing two major endurance races in a month.

“I’m not too concerned about where I finish but I believe that is more likely to be pushing for the top-10 rather than a win. I will take a conservative approach and I would love to go under the nine hour mark.”

His Ironman experience may prove more than a one-off itch.

“Look I might have a totally bad day. But if it’s something I really enjoy then I’ll probably do more of them and be far more serious about my development in the event.”

Ussher will come up against a strong kiwi trio of six-time winner Brown, Ironman Canada champion Kieran Doe and three-time Ironman winner Bryan Rhodes. The major internationals include brilliant Australian Luke Bell, Ironman UK champion Scott Neyedli and German legend Lothar Leder, the first man to even go under the eight hour barrier in Ironman.