Inverell Triathlon Club president Corey Borthwick will compete in his seventh Ironman event in Cairns on Sunday as he eyes qualifying for the world championships in Hawaii.
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The race – a 1.9km swim, a 90km cycle and a 21.1km run – will be Borthwick’s second consecutive Cairns Ironman.
It will attract some 2500 competitors. Borthwick will compete in the 35-39 age group.
Borthwick has to win his age group in Cairns to qualify for the world championships, or compete in 12 consecutive ironman events.
The Cairns Ironman doubles as the Asia-Pacific championship, drawing strong competitors in all age groups.
Although Borthwick has had a disrupted preparation for the event, he hopes to record a personal best time.
“I basically started in January, a six-month build-up, but had to take off weeks in between because of injury, but it is what it is,” he said.
Last year Borthwick completed the course in his second-quickest time.
His goal this year is to finish in about 12 hours.
“Ironman is a sport where mid-30s to early 40s is a peak age for the sport,” he said. “Once you get into the older age groups there is faster qualifying times and more competitors.
“I’ve got 167 [rivals] in my age group and it’s the Asia-Pacific titles, so the cream of the crop are competing.”
Borthwick has been competing regularly in triathlons for the past 10 years.
“The local club will start back up in late August,” he said “If anyone is interested in joining in, jump over to our Facebook page – Inverell Triathlon Club.”
He said it was a club focused on fun and inclusiveness.
