The inaugural Ironman Melbourne goes Sunday

The inaugural Ironman Melbourne, which also serves as the Asia-Pacific Championship, takes place this coming Sunday March 25.

Thanks to its $125 000 US prize purse, and extra KPR (Kona Pro Ranking) points, the professional field is loaded with Ironman Champions, including current Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander.  75 age group qualifying slots to the 2012 Ironman World Championship is also up for grabs.

The course features a 3.8 km swim in Frankston, a 180 km bike ride on the EastLink Tollway, and a 42.2 km run along Port Philip Bay towards the finish at the St Kilda Baths.

Visit ironman.com for live race day coverage.

Check out the jam packed pro field below.

Pro Women

Anja, Beranek Germany

Blackborrow, Suzanne Australia

Carfrae, Mirinda Australia

Cave, Leanda United Kingdom

Crawford, Gina New Zealand

Dauben, Conny Germany

Deckers, Tine Belgium

Eikre-Telle, Marthe Norway

Granger, Belinda Australia

Griesbauer, Dede United States

Gross, Sara Canada

Hufe, Mareen Germany

Jacobs, Jessica United States

Joyce, Rachel United Kingdom

Keat, Rebekah Australia

Keller, Fernanda Brazil

Lawn, Joanna New Zealand

Lester, Carrie Australia

Mitchell, Michelle Australia

Murphy, Kate Australia

Nishiuchi, Maki Japan

Rabe, Katja Germany

Steffen, Caroline Switzerland

Vesterby, Michelle Denmark

Wachter, Inka Germany

Wagner, DanaGermany

Pro Men

Aernouts, Bart Belgium

Albert, Marko Estonia

Alexander, Craig Australia

Anderson, Mitchell Australia

Bell, Luke Australia

Bennett, Greg United States

Borg, Johan Australia

Brown, Dan Philippines

Brown, Cameron New Zealand

Crennan, Finnbar Australia

Croneborg, Fredrik Sweden

Dellow, David Australia

Farlow, Aaron Australia

Fettell, Clayton Australia

Gambles, Joe Australia

Granger, Justin Australia

Grønbek, Jens Denmark

Guillaume, Romain France

Hovgaard, Esben Denmark

Israel, Todd Australia

Jacobs, Peter Australia

Jameson, Joel United Kingdom

Jammaer, Bert Belgium

Johannessen, Oyvind Norway

Leder, Lothar Germany

Llanos, Eneko Spain

Marques, Sergio Portugal

Matthews, Paul Australia

McKenzie, Luke Australia

Nishiuchi, Hiroyuki Japan

Ogden, Courtney Australia

Petersen-Bach, Jens Denmark

Rix, Josh Australia

Santamaria, Alejandro Spain

Shortis, Jason Australia

Simon, Billeau France

Snilstveit, Gudmund Norway

Suganuma, Shinya Japan

Sudrie, Sylvain France

Vabrousek, Petr Czech Republic

Van Lierde, Frederik Belgium

White, Matty Australia

Wisniewski, Pawel Poland