Cam Wurf gave his opponents' a four-minute head start out of the swim, but by halfway through the bike the former St Agnes Primary School student had made his move.
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Approaching the final leg of the gruelling 226-kilometre Ironman Australia event in Port Macquarie, Wurf was leading the pack, but 2016 winner Tim Reed is expected to charge home.
This one could go down to the wire.
At the run, Wurf was six minutes ahead of the pack with Tim Reed and Mark Bowstead battling out second and third.
In the female pro division, Caroline Steffen had a two-minute lead approaching the 45-kilometre mark with 2017 champion Laura Siddall a further seven minutes back.
It wasn't long before Siddall made her move and on the home run to the bike finish she staked her claim as leader of the pack.
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