Right, I’m going for 1) Lange 2) Frodo and 3) Wurf.
That said, agree with much of the above and think we’ll have a decent British representation in the top 10 - 15.
For what it’s worth, I think AB will drop out on the run.
I just don’t see Lange doing nearly as well this year. He’s not been great recently and if there’s even a sniff of wind on the day he gets to T2 too far back.
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Don’t forget that Paddy Lange got owned in Frankfurt last year too…he’s much like Big Dave… Mr October
Gotta be Cam Wurf after this. Stick it to that big German sausage 
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Did you see the IM Italy footage of him bowing to the wheelchair athlete whilst I the lead?
Class personified … I’m a fan for life.
Obviously I’d love
AB
Mac
Skipper
But Wurf and Lionel … you have to love those guys .
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‘Patrick Lange?’
‘Little sniveller…I don’t really like him’
Lol.
Fairly sure it was Alex Zanardi he acknowledged in Italy.
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Slightly off topic, but any UK age-groupers worth keeping an eye out for? Have we got some TTer’s going?
Not really sure who he is… a racing driver?!
My girlfriend commented on Foggy at Bolton she said he looked like he was in a trance on the last lap.
Head down and go … I guess when you’ve got the whole show to play for it’s a different gig.
Look him up. Zanardi has had quite a life!
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AB over Joe if you had the choice? Surely not!
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Skipper is on IMTalk this week. Good interview (he can talk!). Also an interview with the tri-rating owner which is interesting if you like stats.
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After his 12 hour and run at Wales Joe S looks in great form.
History is a great teacher once you’ve win it once Kona often repeats, AB has more chance of multiple wins IF the full distance suits him.
Several itu stars, Spencer S, Lessing, Gomez etc never lived up to expectations in the long game, hoping AB could be different.
I’d take a Brit top three in any order as most of us on here would, if only.
Unless you’re Pete Jacobs 
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A good Breakfast with Bob last night with Sebi - i love his German dry humour. Though the BwB interviews do get quite samey when you’ve been watching them for the last few years. he (Bob) also pitches in with some very weird opinions. Not sure if he has some really stupid moments, or he’s being really smart and saying them just to illicit a reaction and disussion out of the athlete?
Always been a fan of Sebi though. Along with Wurf they’re be my personal faves outside of the Brits. Sebi actually thinks THE LION will be much more of a factor this year owing to his easier year. He said that he didn’t even consider him a competitor last year as what he was doing in the build up was basically bat shit crazy! haha
I don’t know if it’s the fanboy in me, but i think it’s too popular/easy to write AB off in the typical go hard and blow up. I honestly think he’ll be more sensible (i don’t actually know why) and bank a top 5.
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I think Lessing set a Course Record in Lake Placid back around '05, but yeah he never really go into Ironman distance. Nice (4/120/30) seemed to suit him well, and he duelled with Mark Allen there in the 90s.
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I’d agree @gingerbongo, every recent interview with AB has suggested his mindset is different for this. No talk of winning, but learning. He’s not in his usual ‘win or bust’ mode. I think he’d be pleased with a solid top 10, delighted with top 5.
He is fortunate that he has a simple game plan that makes those aims achievable: swim with Jan, bike with Jan (doing turns but not attempting to ride the field off his wheel). That is doable for him with minimal risk, hell I expect Jan will be delighted with that too as it will help him put maximum time into the runners. It puts him at the sharp end in T2, with something left.
If he resists trying to gun it early on the run I think he has a shot at hanging on, with some fade but not a total blow out for top 5. Lots could still go wrong of course, not least his own instinct to race, but I’m expecting a smart race from him.
yeah loads of funny stuff there. “Thin line between fit and f&cked” was classic.
Skipper was true to form - no deference when asked about AB, “we all put our pants on one leg after the other”
The colonels’ was great - enjoyed Sebi/Bob/Lionals analysis of his ‘idiosyncratic’ approach to 2018 post Oceanside given all the entertainment it provided us at the time. Seems like he’s in a much better place this year.
Joe was great on IM Talk!
He certainly loves his numbers, just reciting every TSS for each session of the top of his head.
Thorsten was also a great listen, I like his stuff 
I think LIONel might be in with a shot…maybe even Wurf. Copying Coach John Newsom here
I think females will be: Ryf, True, Haug
Lewis Eccleston - 6th in M18-24 two years ago and swam 8 minutes quicker in the practice swim on Sunday than he did then
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Anyone know what the comment about Ryf means on the Wurf/Kona thread on the other site.
“I’ve got a sneaky suspicion that he’s heard some of the stories that are out there about Daniela, too.”