Jacobs The One To Beat At Geelong Triathlon

Australian long-course triathlon star Pete Jacobs will fine tune his preparations for the Ironman Melbourne race this Sunday in Geelong.

Jacobs is the man to beat in the inaugural urban long-course race, part of the Geelong multi-sport festival.

The weekend event will feature the long-course triathlon and an Olympic-distance race on Sunday morning ahead of the afternoon’s main event, the Australian sprint-distance championships.

While London hopefuls such as Courtney Atkinson, Chris McCormack and Emma Jackson will race in the 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run sprint championships, Jacobs will compete in the 2/80/20 long-course race.

He is using Geelong as a buildup to the first Ironman Melbourne race on March 25, a day-long race featuring a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km marathon run and a major early-season event.

“It is a good time for me to be racing,” Jacobs said.

“I will be about 90 percent when I get to the start line and it will be the ideal lead in race for Ironman Melbourne.

“It is nice to have some choice of long distance races in Australia – more prize money, more points, tougher fields, more competition, and more media coverage as well.”

With McCormack trying to make the London Olympics team, Jacobs is now Australia’s No.2 Ironman-distance male behind Craig Alexander.

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