“We’re very humbled and proud to bring what we believe is one of the greatest sports in the world to one of the greatest sporting cities in the world,” said Shane Smith, Managing Director of Ironman Australia in his welcome speech.

The launch event in true Ironman style was a highly successful event

Hosted by Ironman announcer Whit Raymond and Ricky Jeffs of the Urban Hotel Group, presenting sponsor of the event, the evening was full of humor and history. Jeffs opened by welcoming and thanking the Ironman Australia team, as well as those who had come from the U.S. to be part of the inaugural event, including Andrew Messick (CEO of WTC) and Murphy Reinschreiber (Managing Director of the Asia-Pacific region). He noted the top-tier championship field assembled for the event, telling Craig Alexander that “just to be in the same room as you, is, for an age-group triathlete, very impressive. To Mirinda [Carfrae], a Brisbane girl, I know it means a lot to you to be here and I know a lot of locals will be supporting you.”

“Melbourne prides itself on being the sporting capital of the world,” said The Hon. Hugh Delahunty, MP, Minister for Sport and Recreation, who then went on to point out the various sporting-related facilities of the city viewable from the banquet room: the home of Australian rules football, rugby and soccer facilities, and Albert Park where the Formula 1 takes place every year, to name a few.”The Victorian government is very proud to be associated with such a prestigious event.”

He concluded with a welcome and thank-you’s to Alexander and Carfrae as well, and with a dose of humor: “I was telling some people earlier that you have to be tall to be a runner, then I met Mirinda,” he joked. “As a minister I want to see people getting out being active in sport. You are the ones who inspire people. We’ve seen you on the T.V., but in four days’ time we’ll see you in the flesh, and you will inspire a lot of spectators to be more active.”