During one of the more sensible conversations at IM Lanza, and after much talk about doing IM WA in Busselton at some point, a plan was hatched for a Pirate outing to IM Cairns in 2020. Theory being it's the middle of the year (currently June), where WA is December, so better weather for training in the UK and lines up with UK school holidays for those that have to worry about such things. Also time to save up for airfares etc.
It's the start of winter in Oz but Cairns is far enough north that it's still pretty balmy up there. Not sure which airlines fly there direct but Cairns has an international airport, and as a small place the race pretty takes over the town, so great atmosphere.
I did it in 2012, signed up for Challenge Cairns but IM bought out the local organising company so it was Ironman Cairns by race day. The course has changed a few times, and this year again is a split transition. The swim and T1 are a few miles north of Cairns, T2 and race finish are in Cairns, so some logistical challenges to rack up and on race day. If there's a few of us a hire car might be helpful. It's also a rolling swim start, as Port Macq has been the last 2 years.
Read all about it here:
http://eu.ironman.com/triathlon/events/asiapac/ironman/cairns
And WA/Busselton is here.
http://eu.ironman.com/triathlon/events/asiapac/ironman/western-australia.aspx
So, who's in?
Kanga
Comments
"During one of the more sensible conversations at IM Lanza"
.... don't remember any of them, but them I'm convinced I spent an evening talking to one of the Backstreet Boys .....??
But I think my diary is free that day, so I'm in!!
Surely I can be fit enough by then?!
You don't want to peak too early though Pea
I will be in Cairns in 2017 during race week... looking forward to seeing it, but won't be racing.
Since when is Mid-June school holidays though??
it is for those in university
although I should be working by 2020....
it takes as least 30 hours to get there
My best friend from school lives in Port Douglas and the bike course pretty much goes past her house
Time for a list
Starters
Kanga
Rafiki
Lee the Pea
Subject to picking a good time to broach the subject with Mrs MC, and getting a green light, then count me in...
It's a maybe....
Have to negotiate with Dr Buttercup he's been to Cairns before and may have to be bribed to go back
special birthday for OH that year.wonder if he would like a trip out to Australia for a treat
Also depends on where in the world the Buttercups maybe
I'm looking at IMWA next year (a belated 50th birthday pressie)
Usual deal of fly in Thursday, back home Tuesday?
Also, in what bizarre world could a conversation about doing a triathlon 9,400 miles from home ever be considered sensible?
What a fantastic pirate outing this will be. Am inclined to think that even if I'm not back from my triathlon sabbatical this would be an incredible trip to come and support at. I reckon if we start saving now, me and THO could make it, with possibly one or the other of us racing.
Quite agree!!
Whereas an IM Pirate care home for the elderly and 'Finished' t-shirts and rucksack conversation was perfectly sensible
Now they've cancelled IM Melbourne, IM Cairns is the Asia Pacific Championships. I was talking to a guy at IM Melbourne who had done it the year before.
I pointed out that in addition to monster sharks, they have monster crocs, massive spiders, venomous snakes, cassowarys etc.
His response was, "Yeah I did see a massive croc by the side of the road, he was just chilling though..... and they let you wear a wetsuit even though it's over temperature to keep the jellies out...."
Normally I say I just want to survive the swim, but in this case, I really want to survive the swim.
When I was about 800m out to sea at Melbourne I looked down and saw a f*cking massive dark shadow pass underneath me. I nearly.... well let's say a new trisuit was nearly required.... turns out it was a scuba diver filming from underneath...
Floated this one with the bank manager. She said that if I can save up enough to do it and take her then its a yes. I have selected hearing and heard yes. So i guess i'll be there. God bless you mastercard.
Sounds like a yes to me. I would have gone with what we were always told in one of my old jobs: It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission. I've used that one once or twice in situations where it was obviously going to be a no...
Totally unrelated to why me and the wife are splitting up.
Hehehe. Good ol' MasterCard indeed!! Where would we all be without it (other than debt-free)?
LOL! I shouldn't laugh but I did snort when I read that last line
With our history of drinking the bar dry I'm wondering if someone should e-mail Cairns and ask them to start stocking up?