When: 9:45 a.m. (PDT), today

Where: Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Distances: 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

Race coverage: ironman.com

HANDICAPPING THE PROS

Predicting the top three men's and women's finishers.

MEN

1. Chris McCormack: Weather has been surprisingly moderate at Kona, which favors the defending champion. A heavy sweater, “Macca” has wilted in the heat more than once.

2. Craig Alexander: OK, so it's easy picking a repeat of last year's 1-2 finish. Capable of a 2:40 marathon (Mark Allen's 2:40:04 is the record at Hawaii), Alexander could run down McCormack.

3 Normann Stadler: German won in 2004 and 2006. Feud with McCormack is history. As usual, he'll try to bury field on the bike.

WOMEN

1. Chrissie Wellington: Hasn't lost a race in more than a year. But having raced two Ironmans this year, plus two races at or near the 70.3-mile distance, is the Brit fatigued? Not likely.

2. Erika Csomor: Hungarian benefits from Sam McGlone being out with an Achilles' injury.

3. Kate Major: Rap on the transplanted Aussie who lives in Rancho Santa Fe is she doesn't back off training enough. She's finished third three of the past four years. Make it four of the past five.

– DON NORCROSS