Professional triathletes Luke McKenzie and Liz Blatchford will add the title of official ambassadors to that of defending champions at this year’s Cairns Airport Asia-Pacific Championship IRONMAN Cairns.
Both McKenzie and Blatchford, who have five Cairns titles between them, are reported to be excited to take on an ambassador role for the event, which this year becomes the IRONMAN Asia-Pacific Championship, one of the only five regional IRONMAN championships offering a $150,000 prize purse.
“Having the race as the Asia-Pacific Championship gives it that next level of exposure and it will no doubt attract an even stronger field than it has in the past,” Blatchford said. “I’ve never actually raced an IRONMAN Asia-Pacific Championship, so that is a feather I would love to have in my cap.”
The Cairns Airport Adventure Festival, which is now in its sixth year and encompasses the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 event, holds a special place in 2013 and 2015 champion Luke McKenzie’s heart, both professionally and personally.
“I am really excited to be returning as the IRONMAN Cairns defending champion and also having the ambassador role again for 2016,” he said. “I often get asked what my favourite IRONMAN event is and without hesitation my answer is always IRONMAN Cairns.”
He continued, “My fiancée Beth [Gerdes] and I started dating at the event in 2013 and last year we got engaged at beautiful Green Island in the lead up to the race. Sharing last year’s victory with Beth and our daughter Wynne is something I would love to do again this year.”
For Liz Blatchford, Cairns has proved a happy hunting ground – winning her debut IRONMAN in 2012 and going on to record a trio of victories.
“Cairns feels like my ‘home race’ and each year so far has been just perfect for me. I’d like nothing more than to keep that streak going. I know it puts a bit of a target on my back but that just motivates me further,” she said. “I really enjoy the ambassador role. I’m getting behind a race that I’m passionate about around a community I’ve grown to love.”
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones said the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival was a key highlight in Tropical North Queensland. “The event is a great opportunity to soak up everything the region has to offer – swim, ride, run – and take in the paradise that is Tropical North Queensland,” Minister Jones said.
She continued, “The Palaszczuk Government is proud to support the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival, which showcases this beautiful region as a world class sporting event destination. There is no better place on earth to participate in a gruelling IRONMAN and I am sure festival ambassadors and reigning champions Liz Blatchford and Luke McKenzie would vouch for that.”
The Cairns Airport Adventure Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) as part of the It’s Live! in Queensland major events calendar.
The Cairns Airport Adventure Festival held from Sunday 5 June to Sunday 13 June kicks off in Port Douglas. The week-long active lifestyle celebration of events will include:
- The RRR Mountain Bike Challenge over 35km and 70km
- The Hekili Great Barrier Reef Ocean Paddle from Palm Cove to Port Douglas
- Coral Coast Sprint and Coral Coast Enticer distance events on Sunday 5 June offering ‘the ideal final training run or a more accessible short distance triathlon experience’
The IRONMAN race weekend will also feature the ever popular McDonald’s IRONKIDS on Saturday 11 June, the Cairns Post Bright Night Fun Run on Friday 10 June, and the Quicksilver Great Barrier Reef Ocean Swim – at stunning Green Island on Thursday 9 June.
www.cairnsadventurefestival.com
www.ironman.com
