Athletes.

Here are a few of the coached athletes, a brief profile, and some have given their achievements as well!

Name: Paul Baskett Profile: Has been a handy Triathlete for many years, and has come of age as he has moved to Ironman distance. Achievements: Has a 9:16 IM in western Australia, and 9:41 in NZ 2009.

Name: Jeremy Boyd Profile: A handy biker and runner, that survives the swim! Potential to scare a few people seriously! Achievements: 9:02 in NZ Ironman is a solid result, with a couple of other 9 1/2 hr IM results as well!

Name: Linda Breekveldt Profile: A quiet achiever, who constantly does more than she thinks! Achievements: Peoples Tri series podium wins, stroke and stride podiums, and second overall. World long distance triathlon team member! Ironman finisher too!

Name: Dave Bullen Profile: Part of the Hamilton Mafia. Managed to pull through IM in under 12 hours, and still a fair bit of improvement to go! Achievements: Sub 12 hour IM, with a puncture and a shredded tyre (ouch!). And able to survive bunch rides in Hamiltron!

Name: Bex Burridge Profile: A nice runner who is moving up the triathlon ranks. Achievements: Places in athletics, tag team champion, and a member of the World champs triathlon team in 2009.

Name: Paul Cadman Profile: Mad as a hatter. Was a cowboy in a previous life Achievements: 4 official nuclear meltdowns in time trials (7 unofficial), and a great Ironman of - 10hr48min. Managed to have Child due 4 days after Ironman - not a great planner!

Name: Vern Coleman Profile: Age is no concern to Vern, at 60 he trains like he is 30! A very passionate cyclist who has taken up the triathlon challenge too! Achievements: Finish the tauranga half ironman, has also done the k2 cycle challenge, and then the K1 on Saturday and the auckland half marathon the following day! Has a very nice family too…

Name: Dene Coleman Profile: Physio to the starts and Ironman nutter! No longer a great fan of Indian food… Achievements: Able to melt down in TT's with the best of them. Has a handy 4:49 half IM, and a 10:24 Ironman track record!

Name: Raewyn Corser Profile: Raewyn is a real Trooper! Has had chronic back issues, despite doing all the "right" things. After losing her husband Mike, she took up the Ironman challenge, which was no small feat! Achievements: Survived the swim in Ironman, and then the rest was easy (coach probably sweated as much!).

Name: Sacha Cowlrich Profile: Has a great handle on real life and should really be a comentator on life! Achievements: Has survived Monaco half Ironman, as well as beating the glow stick demons!

Name: Paul Dell Profile: Paul is as strong as an Ox, and like his toys. A focused hard worker in training, who has shown huge improvements. Achievements: Has an 11:22 Ironman finish to his name (in the florida heat!).

Name: Barry Ellmers Profile: Barry is a hard worker and gets results from the hard yards. And that is just from the awards functions! Achievements: Has been an Age group representative at World Champs. Barry finally got his water wings this year, and cracked the 12 hours for Ironman.

Name: Antony Gardiner Profile: A talented runner who does pretty well on the bike, and now starting to get the swim together. Achievements: Ant's has had a distinguished athletic career, including a couple of age group podiums (including first) at Ironman. 4:13 for a half Ironman is not too shabby either.

Name: Andrea Gilkison Profile: Pocket Rocket. Andrea is the keen cyclist, who has really developed and shown what can be done with a lot of hard work. Achievements: Nothing is too hard for Andrea, tours, K2, 200km+ epic rides, even a duathlon or two. However any mention of time trials and she is off - in the other direction (usually)!

Name: Liz Goer Profile: Liz is a dedicated Irnman athlete, with drive to reach the top! Also a handy coach - if you need help with your swimming - Liz is the one to set you straight! Achievements: Qualified for Hawaii Ironman twice with 2 podium finishes at Ironman New Zealand. Managed to finish IM france after 3 crashes on the bike! Former open swimmer.

Name: Brendon Gredig Profile: "Crusher" is a bit of a sand bagger. Quite a handy volleyball player in his day (International). He finally started to understand the swim half way through his first Ironman swim! Achievements: getting his moneys worth in most swim events, and making extensive studies on the effectiveness of the medical staff at Ironman

Name: Craig Gregory Profile: Creampuff to anyone who knows him! The squads "metro-sexual Maori". Achievements: Two Ironmans - bother stunning 11hr37min efforts! Able to eat 3 brunches with ease. Numerous pink tutu awards at stroke and stride thanks to supportive friends and workmates!

Name: Anthony Ham Profile: Author of "how to survive your coach". Survive Your Coach". Has managed to change down about 4 suit sizes (at least) over the last few years. A very good contact for a very good bottle of red wine (or two!). Achievements: A couple of places behind tony ohagan in the 1994 NZ ironman. Has a 4:48 half Ironman and a 11:18 NZ Ironman to his credit in 2009.

Name: Stanley Hebden Profile: Stanley is does it all - multisport, distance off road runs, and now has turned from the dark side to do Ironman. Achievements: Coast to coast finisher, and kepler challenge finisher. Knocked off Ironman just for a change - in 12 hours and change - not bad first up!

Name: Katie Kenny Profile: Little Katie is a silient assasin. She has been part of the training group on a regular basis since she was 14. Achievements: Pretty hand in triathlon, and stroke and stride. Very handy on the bike - including up hill!

Name: Reuben Kirk Profile: Big bad Reub's! Bit of a surf boat back ground and nick named nana - not for the first time apparently! Achievements: Fantastic first ironman at 10:50.

Name: Hannah Lawrence Profile: An accomlished runner who has taken up longer distance triathlon. Able to make the boys cry at Friday run intervals! Achievements: 3rd overall at the Rotorua half Ironman and survived her first Ironman experience!

Name: Bevan McKinnon Profile: Has moved from swim coach to hard-core Ironman. Ventured to Hawaii in 2007 - feeling that the heat really did not affect him that much. Came back not quite so keen on the heat… Also a test crash dummy for bike frame manufacturers. Achievements: Won the taupo half Ironman in 2007. A handy 9hours 20min Ironman NZ in 2008 to win his age group. Move to Pro in 2009 and got a top 10 in a fraction over 9 hours

Name: Andy Moore Profile: Woody come from the pro-football background, although I am not sure how he manages to kick the ball with those chicken legs. A handy runner, which is handy given his swimming… Achievements: Has just completed Boston marathon, to add to his London marathon finish as well. Also a handy sub 12 hour Ironman. We are still not talking about the Tauranga half IM swim though…

Name: Matt Morreau Profile: great running talent that has taken to triathlon with focus and dedication Achievements: Secondary schools Champ in 2006.

Name: Carl Nelson Profile: Carl is the quiet guy that just comes and a tears through the field after giving everyone a head start in the swim. Achievements: Carl has an 11:16 Ironman and a 4:41 half Ironman to his credit. Quite handy over shorter distance too!

Name: Debbie Nelson Profile: Another inspiration - if you want to see someone achieve what everyone though could not be done - ask Debbie how! Achievements: Overcoming a fear of open water, and no chance of running, to finishing Ironman! Awesome!

Name: Mike Pirovich Profile: Another footballer turned to Ironman. Achievements: Survived the Ironman with a few little hiccups along the way. Awarded the most visits to physio award!

Name: Margaret Reid Profile: Margaret is a runner, well she is now! She has come along way, from convinced that nothing was possible, to a multiple marathon finisher! Achievements: Margaret has the auckland marathon and the london marathon finishers T-shirts! Has survived Friday run intervals, Saturday brick sessions, and even a fair few bike classes!

Name: Scott Richdale Profile: Thrives on a good deal of stress, even if it has to be self imposed. Also enjoys getting smacked around in the swim, just so he can pass more people later on. Achievements: 2009 season has backed up a 9:58 IMWA with a 9:44 in IMNZ- missing Kona by one spot - ouch! 4:37 half IM was pretty tidy after a month overseas with work too…

Name: Alex Smith Profile: An excellent swimmer who is rising through the junior ranks to become one of NZ's top elite Juniors. Achievements: Regular top 5 finisher in New Zealand Championships and has a silver medal from world championships in Canada.

Name: Neil Stafford Profile: Big Neil! I could tell you a few stories, but then Neil would have to kill you - marines are like that… Achievements: Has managed a 4:28 Ironman when there was no swim and the bike and run legs were halved. Normally a shade over 11 hours, but we will see if we can get him under 10!

Name: Hamish Taylor Profile: When not surfing, he is ironman training! Knocked almost an hour off his time this year - very nice! Not someone who rates bike maintenance though - possibly involved in harsh product treatment testing for cannondale. Does a bit of Law too! Achievements: A very handy 10 hour 5min Ironman WA 2008. Survives training with Bevan McKinnon - which is no small feat!

Name: Craig Thorne Profile: Thornie manages to use anger to overcome all obsticles. Favorite quote: "If they are any good - they will get back on…". Shows that hard work gets results! Achievements: Has a 9hr35min Ironman result, and an age group champion (NZIM).

Name: Lynley Twyman Profile: Able to inhale as much caffeine as the next person or more! Achievements: Worked hard and got another well erned Ironman finish in 2009!

Name: Laura Whelan Profile: Our English rose who is a research Nurse at Starship hostpital. Achievements: World long distance champs competitor. Ran a fantastic Ironman 2009 to finish in 10:48 and qualify for Kona - yeah baby!

Name: Susie Wright Profile: Ironman survivor. Susie is a great example for those that think long races are only for the serious - anyone can do - and Susie has proved that! Achievements: Surviving living with Brent…. And went from no trraining to finishing Ironman in 1 year!!!

Name: Brent Wright Profile: Hard as nails, and not afraid to go hard. Now we just need to get some training in! Achievements: Has survived a few track sessions with Tony!