Pros Seek Points At Ironman Latin American Championship In Brazil

A deep pro field will be racing in South America at the Ironman Latin American Championship Brazil this weekend in an attempt to earn valuable KPR points toward the Ironman World Championship and, for the winners, an automatic start in Kona. The race, in Florianópolis on the island of Santa Catarina, also offers a $150,000 professional prize purse that pays 10 deep. Designating the race as a championship has allowed it to draw a much stronger professional field than in recent years; however, scheduling the race just two weeks after Ironman Texas, another regional championship, likely kept the field from being as stacked as it could have been.

Last year’s winner and runner-up, Igor Amorelli and Santiago Ascenco Alves, both from Brazil, have the advantage of racing in front of their home crowd and on a familiar course. However, they’ll face tough competition to remain on the podium this year. American Tim O’Donnell, who won on this course in 2013 and set the course record, will be returning to reclaim the crown. Other top athletes looking for Kona spots are Australian Paul Matthews; Bermudian and top-10 Kona finisher Tyler Butterfield; Belgian Marino Vanhoenacker, who’s known for his strength on the bike and (briefly) held the iron-distance world record; and Kona amateur course record holder Kyle Buckingham of South Africa. Perhaps the most interesting story in the men’s race will be to see how Canadian Brent McMahon does in his second-ever attempt at the distance. He posted the fastest Ironman debut time (7:55:48) last fall at Ironman Arizona and is using this race to give himself more experience at this distance ahead of the Ironman World Championship.

RELATED – Brent McMahon: “The Focus Is On Kona”

In the women’s race, 2013 Ironman Brazil champion Amanda Stevens (USA) is returning to regain the crown, and you can expect her to be leading out of T1, thanks to her strong swim. Challenging her for the automatic Kona start are fellow American (and super swimmer) Haley Chura, who was fifth on this course in 2013; American Liz Lyles, who notched a top-10 Kona finish last year; short-course star and American Laurel Wassner; and 2014 Ironman Nice champion Tine Deckers of Belgium.

RELATED – PROfile: Amanda Stevens

See the complete pro start lists below:

Pro men
Igor Amorelli (BRA)
Santiago Ascenco Alves (BRA)
Timothy O’Donnell (USA)
Guilherme Valenza Manocchio (BRA)
Fabio Carvalho (BRA)
Paul Matthews (AUS)
Marino Vanhoenacker (BEL)
Tyler Butterfield (BER)
Kyle Buckingham (RSA)
Denis Chevrot (FRA)
Mario De Elias (ARG)
Daniel Fontana (ITA)
Thiago Vinhal (BRA)
Jason Britton (CAN)
Marcel Bischof (GER)
Simon Billeau (FRA)
Balazs Csoke (HUN)
Rene Vallant (AUT)
Jonathan Shearon (USA)
Ivan Risti (ITA)
Alejo Badino Mosquera (ARG)
Jorge Alberto Vazquez (MEX)
Per Bittner (GER)
Luan Pinho Ortiz Silva (BRA)
Edmilson Pereira (BRA)
Ciro Violin (BRA)
Frank Silvestrin Souza (BRA)
Anton Blokhin (UKR)
Carletto Christian (ARG)
Ruben Sergio Carrettoni (ARG)
Mike Aigroz (SUI)
Bruno Fregolente Lazaretti (BRA)
Andres Darricau (ARG)
Felipe Manente (BRA)
Gaston Duran (ARG)
Matt Trautman (RSA)
Karol Dzalaj (SVK)
Nick Baldwin (SYC)
Brent McMahon (CAN)
Michael John Davidson (RSA)
Damon Barnett (USA)

Pro women
Amanda Stevens (USA)
Haley Chura (USA)
Ariane Monticeli Silveira (BRA)
Mette Pettersen Moe (NOR)
Tine Deckers (BEL)
Lucie Zelenkova (CZE)
Astrid Ganzow (GER)
Laura Barrena (ARG)
Elizabeth Lyles (USA)
Laurel Wassner (USA)
Mariana Borges De Andrade (BRA)
Ashley Clifford (USA)
Asa Lundstrom (SWE)
Karen Thibodeau (CAN)
Ana Borba (BRA)
Mareen Hufe (GER)