Bell On Long Road Back To Hawaii

The Sunday Age

Sunday January 8, 2006

By SAMANTHA LANE

IN THEORY, Victorian Luke Bell should be getting closer to his quest of winning a Hawaii Ironman.

But the results of his past two attempts at that most prestigious race were inferior to his fifth placing in 2003, a career highlight. Bell was 13th in last year's event and didn't finish the previous one.

Bell's campaign to go better in 2006 begins today, when he throws himself into a half ironman - a 1.9-kilometre swim, 90-kilometre ride and 21.1-kilometre run - in Devonport, Tasmania.

Touted as one of the sport's brightest up and comers after his 2003 effort in Hawaii - just his fourth attempt at a full ironman - Bell, who now bases himself in the US for half the year, returned home after his latest effort feeling slightly deflated.

In 2004 he had physical problems in the race - "I lost all my nutrition and ended up unconscious for about half-an-hour". Last year, a loose bolt on his bike seat upset his cycling leg.

"After, I guess, a slightly disappointing result, I just wanted to get home and be around the family and friends. And, I guess, have a bit of time off and reflect on the year and just try and get myself ready for the next year," he said.

Bell will complete as many as 10 half-ironman events this year before hitting Hawaii. Most of his preparation will be in Australia - today's race is the first main physical test - but once it gets colder here, he'll return to his US base, Boulder, Colorado, where the conditions will be more Hawaii-like.

"I think, realistically, I'd hope to go in the top five again (at Hawaii '06)," he said. "I'd say I'm still a couple of years off (being a genuine chance to win), because in the Ironman events most of the champions there, male and female, are in their mid-30s.

"I'm still only 26, so hopefully in the next somewhere between five and 10 years is when you ultimately reach your peak."

Bell has only resumed full training in the past fortnight after a two-month break, and will use the Devonport race as an indicator of where his fitness and form in each discipline is at.

"Because Hawaii is our world championships, the whole year revolves around pretty much gearing up for October. So every bit of training, and I guess every race you do, you aim towards that," Bell said.

Today's race is also the last chance to qualify for the Australian Ironman, to be held in Port Macquarie in April. Bell won't be lining up for that one, due to his February wedding date with long-time partner Lucy.

Today, he'll be concentrating on improving the course record he set in the Devonport race last year and shaking off the man expected to be his hottest competition, Queensland's Jason Shortis.

© 2006 The Sunday Age

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