AB Mick Reuger from ALBATROSS manages a smile as he crosses the finish line at the Forster Half Ironman Triathlon.

Some of the Australian Defence Force's fittest endurance athletes were tested in tough conditions for the Minolta Australian Half Ironman Triathlon Championships at Forster on Sunday, November 12.

The gruelling event comprised a 1.9km swim, 90.1km bike ride and 21.1km run, with a hot northerly wind testing the majority of the 800-strong field, of which 14 ADF triathletes gave it a go.

Most finished the race after between five and six hours, with event winner and professional triathlete Jason Shortis living up to his number one seeding by going the distance in a new race record of 4hrs 2mins.

The event also marked the first big distance triathlon of the new ADF season, with exactly half the combatants qualifying for the full distance Australian Ironman Triathlon Championships, back at Forster in April 2001.

A further two, Army's SGT Allan Lawrence and Navy's WO Tim Belcher, were just one place off qualifying and are likely to get the call-up once others decide whether to take on the 3.8km swim, 180.2km cycle and 42.2km run - a day-long test of the best.

AB Danika Greenhalf is a picture of relief following five hours and 43 minutes of action at Forster.

Those that qualified from the half ironman are: AB Mick Rueger, PO Jon Iles, PO Louise McNulty (Navy), LAC Jason Nunn (Army), CPL Phillip Griffis, FSGT John Gilbert and FSGT Tony Harber (RAAF).

Others, like the Navy's AB Danika Greenhalf, competed in the race for the first time and was relieved just to finish, while still placing ninth in the female 20-24 years category.

The ADF's oldest competitor in the race, FSGT Tony Harber, has also featured at Forster previously and qualified again for the full ironman with an eighth placing in the men's 46-49 years category.

Australian Services Triathlon Association president, WO2 Greg Young is somewhat of a race veteran, competing in the men's 35-39 years category for a placing of 117th and 615th overall.

Results for ADF competitors at the Forster Half Ironman are as follows:

Surname	Category	Category Posn	Overall Posn	Overall Time
LAC Jason Nunn	M 20 to 24	4	28	4-31-17
CPL Phillip Griffis	M 30 to 34	38	139	4-56-33
PO Jon Iles	M 30 to 34	44	165	4-59-50
CAPT Daniel Kerr	M 25 to 29	65	258	5-09-38
PO Andrew Welsh	M 30 to 34	77	276	5-11-56
SGT Allan Lawrence	M 40 to 44	29	326	5-18-18
FSGT John Gilbert	M 40 to 44	31	337	5-19-35
FSGT Tony Harber	M 46 to 49	8	342	5-20-10
PO Louise Mc Nulty	F 35 to 39	10	424	5-31-35
WO Tim Belcher	M 45 to 49	15	455	5-36-37
AB Danika Greenhalf	F 20 to 24	9	512	5-43-21
WO2 Greg Young	M 35 to 39	117	615	6-03-42
SPR Craig Pidgeon	M 30 to 34	129	600	6-01-03

Story and photos by Michael Weaver