Multisports: Brown seeking breakthrough in Hawaii

It will be survival of the fittest as always when New Zealand's Cameron Brown chases an elusive victory in the Ironman triathlon world championship at Hawaii on Sunday morning (NZ time).

Brown, 34, is buoyed by a storming finish for second place at Kona-Kailua last year and his breakthrough win in Ironman Germany in July.

That has been followed by six weeks of intense preparation on Queensland's Sunshine Coast but Brown said it could all count for little in the 30th edition of the gruelling multisport event.

"Your form can be spot-on and you can prepare as well as anyone but most of the time it comes down to how you wake up on race day," Brown told NZPA.

" You always hope for the perfect race but you can't account for someone else having a better day.

" Everyone's very even, it comes down to mentally how tough you are and how the race pans out."

Brown reckoned conditions last year were the toughest he had encountered, making his final running leg over the marathon distance all the more remarkable.

He felt terrible yet the rest of the field were clearly struggling more as he went past a host of rivals. All but German winner Faris Al Sultan.

The placing matched Brown's second in 2001, which was followed by thirds over the next two years before an out-of-character 26th in 2004.

Brown said Sultan and fellow German Normann Stadler, the 2004 champion, were clear threats, particularly in the absence of two multiple former winners -- injured American Tim DeBoom and retired Canadian Peter Reid.

After more hard work with coaches Mark Bone for the 3.8km swim and Brendon Cameron for the 180km cycle, Brown's tactics are again to stay within range of the leaders through the first two legs before playing his trump card on the run.

His marathon time in Germany 10 weeks ago was a sizzling two hours 44 minutes as he overcame an earlier bike crash to run down Stadler.

"Having a good race in Germany gives me a bit of confidence, especially beating the Germans on their home soil," Brown said.

"It was definitely a high point in my career because it's a tough race to win."

T he result ended a run of three previous second placings but Brown did not necessarily see it as an omen that he was ready to break through in Hawaii, where the weather plays such a major role.

H e had never raced in even remotely friendly conditions at Kona and said the humidity since arriving there last Thursday had shocked him.

It even left him hoping for the return of galeforce winds which can make runners on the volcanic landscape feel like they are in a giant hair dryer.

"It's very, very sticky at the moment so hopefully the trade winds start picking up and it blows the humid weather away because it's damn hot.

"Mind you, every year you expect the same. It's going to be hot and you prepare for it."

New Zealand's best chance in the women's race is again Jo Lawn, 32, who finished a career-best fourth last year.

Since then she has won her fourth successive Taupo crown and will seek further improvement on last year's Hawaii effort in which she hovered among the leaders for most of the day.

She was denied a podium finish by Australians Kate Major and Michellie Jones, although none of them could match the brilliant running of Swiss star Natascha Badmann, who won a fifth world title.

Experienced Cantabrian Karyn Ballance is back for another Hawaiin challenge, having finished 15th last year.

The race carries a total prize purse of US$580,000 ($895,000).

- NZPA