Previewing the inaugural Ironman Mont-Tremblant

The inaugural Ironman Mont-Tremblant goes this Sunday August 19, with 50 Age Group qualifying slots for the 2012 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, and Kona Pro Ranking points for the professionals.

Racers will start the 3.86 km swim on the golden sands of the Beach & Tennis club located next to the village of Tremblant Resort. The two-loop 180 km bike course runs largely through Mont-Tremblant’s forests and mountains. And the race concludes with a two-loop 42.2 km run course that finishes in heart of the pedestrian village of Tremblant Resort.

All eyes will be on France’s Romain Guillaume and American Jessie Donavan.

Guillame won the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant in June, and took third at Ironman Lake Placid. He new has two-second place Ironman finishes and two third place finishes. He is itching to get his first career win and looks primed and ready to make this his first. A number of Canadians will be looking to prevent that from happening and to take a win of their own on home soil. They include Ryan Cain, Ryan Grant, Nigel Gray, Brendan Halpin, Dave Harju, Martin Lamontagne Lacasse, Charles Perreault, and Matthew Russell.

Donavan, mother of three, appeared on the Ironman radar with her second place at Ironman St. George, and had a breakthrough win at Ironman Lake Placid last month. She obviously performs well on tough courses so look for her to be well back after the swim and to make a charge late into the bike and transition into a strong run. Marie Danais, Anjie Gervais, and Rachel Kiers will be the Canadian women in the mix.

Pro Women

Bevilaqua Kate

Biscay Hillary

Bromme Uli

Crawford Guy

Danais Marie CAN

Donavan Jessie

Ferreira Amber

Gervais Annie CAN

Kiers Rachel CAN

Meyers Katya

Van der Merwe Natasha

Pro Men

Cain Ryan CAN

Crawford Guy

Elosegui Eneko

Guillaume Romain

Grant Ryan CAN

Gray Nigel CAN

Halpin Brendan CAN

Harju Dave CAN

LaMastra James

Lamontagne Lacasse Martin CAN

Perreault Charles CAN

Russell Matthew CAN

Santamaria Alejandro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA3EN6GuIAA