Published July 31, 2009 04:28PM
Vanhoenacker and Granger head up stellar field that includes 13 Ironman and 70.3 champions.
With 1,100 competitors from 30 different countries, Ironman 70.3 Antwerp will feature both an international and incredibly competitive field. No less than 13 Ironman and Ironman 70.3 champions, including Marino Vanhoenacker, pictured here, are expected to compete in the Antwerp event.
Formerly known as the Marc Herremans Classic, Ironman 70.3 Antwerp certainly enjoys the support of many of the sport’s premier Ironman athletes who come, in part, to support Herremans. Another in a long list of outstanding Belgian athletes, Herremans finished sixth at the 2001 Ford Ironman World Championship, but then lost the use of his legs early in 2002 when he crashed on his bike while training in Lanzarote. He went on to compete in Kona again later that year on a handcycle and wheelchair. He was not only featured in NBC’s Emmy-award winning coverage, he was also named Belgium’s sports personality of the year.
Here’s a list of the pros registered for the race, which will take place on Sunday, August 2.
01- Marino Vanhoenacker, Belgium (four-time Ironman Austria winner)
02- Luc Van Lierde, Belgium (two-time Ironman World Champion )
03- Rutger Beke, Belgium (first place Ironman Arizona 2007 )
04- Ain Alar Juhanson, Estonia ( two-time winner of Ironman Lanzarote )
05- Bert Jammaer, Belgium (winner Ironman Lanzarote )
06- Gerrit Schellens, Belgium ( two-time winner Ironman South Africa )
07- Fraser Cartmell, Australia (two-time winner Ironman 70.3 UK )
09- Paul Matthews, Australia (two-time Ironman 70.3 champion )
10- Belinda Granger, Australia (many time Ironman and Ironman 70.3 champion)
11- Lucie Zelenkova, Tsjechië (winner Ironman South Africa 2009 )
12- Tine Deckers, Belgium (winner Ironman France-Nice 2009 )
13- Dann Brook, Great-Britain
14- Allesandro Degasperi, Italy (third place Ironman 70.3 Switzerland 2009 )
15- Frederik Van Lierde, Belgium (third place Ironman New Zealand 2008 )
16- Stijn Demeulemeester, Belgium (third place Ironman 70.3 Antwerp 2007 )
17- Alun Woodward, Hongary (fifth place Ironman 70.3 Oostenrijk 2009 )
18- Toby Jameson, Engeland (10th place Ironman 70.3 Antwerp 2008 )
19- Joel Jameson, Engeland (eighth place Ironman 70.3 Antwerp 2008 )
20- Thomas Darby, Finland (seventh place Ironman 70.3 Antwerp 2008 )
21- Bas Diederen, Nederland (third place Brasschaat 2009 )
22- Axel Zeebroek, Belgium (13th Olympic Games 2008 )
23- Koen Hoeyberghs, Belgium (fifth place Brasschaat 2009 )
24- Tim Brydenbach, Belgium (fourth place Brasschaat 2009 )
25- Bart decru, Belgium (ninth place Brasschaat 2009 )
26- Sofie Goos, Belgium (fourth place 70.3 Ironman Antwerp 2008)
27- Christel Robin, France (second place Ironman Nice 2009)
28- Rachel Joyce, Germany (second place Ironman Zuid-Afrika / lanzarote 2009 )
29- Ana Burgos, Spain (20th place Olympic Games 2008)
30- Felicity Hart, Great-Britain (second place Ironman 70.3 Antwerp 2008)
31- Delphine Pelletier, France (Champion France long distance 2009 )
32- Caroline Perin, France (third place France long distance 2008 )
33- Ulrike Schwalbe, Germany (fourth place Ironman Nice 2008)
34- Tara Prowse, Australië (second place Ironman 70.3 Australia 2008)
35- Emma Kate Lidbury, Great-Britain (sixth place Ironman 70.3 Antwerp 2008 )
36- Cora Vlot, Nederland (seventh place Ironman 70.3 Antwerp 2008 )
Provided by Ironman.com