Good lad.
Find it funny that he’s still often tagged as an “uber-biker” when he’s also demonstrably one of the best runners on the IM circuit too.
Also funny that we used to do track sessions together back in the day 
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That bike run is such a weapon. If he’s out of the water within 5/6 minutes of the lead swimmers he’s always in with a chance.
Except for Frodo 
But a Kona podium had got to be a possibility
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His bike and run really are superb now.
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Superb. Sub-8 is now almost becoming the “norm” (and I say that tongue in cheek of course!) - the 8 hour barrier has been smashed now in Kona (wonder what Frodeno would have done on a favourable day in Kona as 2018 was , NZ, Brownlee did 7:45 (I think) in WA, the standards are incredible. So many podium contenders now, think Alistair Brownlee could be a dark horse for Kona now he’s been there and learned it… Joe Skipper too. Also David McNamee surely one of the most unheralded British sportspersons/Ironman athletes ever…?!
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wonder what odds you’d get on an all British male Kona podium?
Worth a punt with a fiver! Could be a great race this year. Could also have an all-German men’s podium. Wonder which is more likely?!
Was all German in 18 wasn’t it?
McNamee was on the podium in 2018. 2016? Frodeno 1st, Lange 3rd. Was Kienle 2nd that year?
Yes, 2016 was Frodo/Kienle/Lange 
That’s the one I was thinking of.
I see AB as a solid 5th/6th next year - he’ll have learnt from this year but olympics focus will probably leave him a bit short of the podium. A well executed race even if he doesn’t make top 3 will be s good place to really go for the W year after.
McNamee flies so far under the radar that you just can’t call his form, gut feel says that he’ll need to up his bike to be able to run onto the podium from now, think there’s been a little up of the requirements to make top 3 now, you really need sub 8 on a ‘normal’ Kona day.
Skipper has a shout, best of the 3 to make the podium, but as ever he needs his top swim form and a bit of luck in which bike train he can get on. He’s blown at Kona a couple of times chasing solo. I think he could outrun Sebi and the MIGHTY LION, so be handy if they could drag him to the head of the race.
I think Skipper is heading to Roth so we’ll see how he matches up to Frodo (?) then…
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The problem is that Kienle, Wurf, etc know he’s a strong runner, so suspect they’d be hesitant to work too hard with him on the bike…
Reluctant they may be but really it’s the only card they can play, and they’re not going to let Frodo ride off to no. 4 because of worries about Joe Skipper. Plus Joe will do his turns which will give the group more horsepower.
Can’t discount Tim O’D either, I am sure the American will to win at Kona is strong… Brownlee showed he can swim and bike with the best of them (he arguably outbiked Frodeno and Tim O’D because he flatted out at Hawi and caught them back up on the descent. Showed in Western Aus he can put a full performance together, I was impressed with that - pre-Kona and pre-WA I’d have said I didn’t think he could win Kona, now I’d say he can. Question is when…?!
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Instead of raiding the Starky thread,
Joe Skipper is on IMTALK this week.
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Was a pretty standard chat.
He talked about the 12hr TT, predictions for Daytona
is he racing, and who did he choose?
He’s not racing.
He was talking about how the 20m draft zone might help the long distance guys
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Surprised Skipper isn’t racing in Daytona, how come? Notice Frodeno has skipped it too; I can’t help thinking this would have been his last year of domination.