Ironman Asia Pacific Championships

Germany's Nils Frommhold is fresh off of a top-10 finish at the 2014 Ironman World Championship.

Luxembourg's Dirk Bockel and Switzerland's Caroline Steffen earned the important early-season victories.

he pre-race hype around the 2014 Ironman Asia-Pacific Championships in Melbourne was high, and the race did not disappoint.

Dirk Bockel and Caroline Steffen beat out tough fields, while Craig Alexander finished fifth and announced his retirement from Ironman.

Though a finish will give him an automatic spot on the Kona start line in October, Alexander maintains that he doesn't plan to return.

Photos of the 2012 Ironman Asia-Pacific Championships from Melbourne, Australia. The race was won by Craig Alexander and Caroline Steffen.

The stellar Ironman Melbourne lineup has lost one of its main contenders.