The 226km Ironman Western Australia Triathlon Busselton will play host to no less than nine individual, and five team competitors from the Hastings.

The most that have ever made the trek for the event.

The devoted bunch are professionals, defending champion Tim Berkel and Adam Holborrow, and age groupers Mike Reid, Greg Laws, Brad Foster, Michael Gilmore, Karen McElligott, Bernard Smith and Ben Wood.

For former chairman of the local organising committee (LOC), Reid, the race is the end result of 18 months recovering from a fractured and dislocated hip suffered in a cycling accident in early 2008.

“The doctor told me I would never run again,” he said.

“But, I am going to reduce the impact by doing a lot of fast walking and I also have a new pair of shoes that I think will make a big difference.”

It will be the businessman’s third dig at the gruelling distance and he said he would rely on his mental strength to get to the finishing line.

“I have wanted to do this since getting out of hospital,” the 55-year-old said.

“However, I am not going to push it too much. If I can, I will try and link up with my wife Sue on the run.

“I think she wants to keep an eye on me to make sure I don’t to anything stupid.”

Reid’s replacement as chairman of the LOC Greg Laws has been one of Port Macquarie’s journey men of Ironman over the past year.

He has completed three full distance events since taking on Busselton in 2008.

“I had no idea then I would have done four in the year,” Laws said.

“But I just felt good after Busso and thought I would give New Zealand a go, and then Japan was just the same.”

Laws arrived in Western Australia on Sunday and was looking forward to the rest of the contingent heading there.

“It is great to have so many coming over,” the 54-year-old said.

“Last year there were only three of us, so the fact that there is so many this year as well as so many supporters is just brilliant.”