Michelle Bremer wins Port Macquarie Ironman race

It was Bremer’s second win of her professional career, and she made sure to savour the moment.

Her first win came in her first event as a professional Ironman contestant in 2011, and Bremer said she was so spent she could not savour that victory.

‘‘It felt so good to come back and get another win,’’ she said. ‘‘You’re racing for nine-and-a-half-hours so you’re incoherent when you cross the line.

‘‘But this time around I was high fiving all my supporters and really soaking up the moment.’’

Bremer completed the swimming leg of the competition in record time, but then hit issues when she hopped on the bike.

‘‘I came out of the water in fourth position and got the lead early on the bike,’’ she said.

‘‘It is a 180-kilometre bike ride. It is reasonably hilly, so it is quite hard going on the bike.

‘‘I had a couple of issues with my brakes on the bike and I slipped back to fourth spot by the end of my ride.’’

However, from there Bremer pushed hard and at the 25-kilometre mark of the run had reclaimed the lead.

She managed to hang onto her lead and win her second race from seven attempts.

Bremer, who works part-time as a physiotherapist, said her next major goal was to race at Roth in Germany.

The race at Roth is a prestigious event and Bremer said she would be training hard to make an impression at the event.

‘‘It is next on my target list so I have about 12 months to get in form for it,’’ she said.

‘‘It is a pretty gruelling training regime but it helps to have a great group to train with.’’

Bremer said she lived in the Hawkesbury, but trained with a group from Penrith.

Several other Hawkesbury residents competed in the Ironman Australia event at Port Macquarie.

Kurrajong man Paul Mulherin finished sixth in the 45-49 years age group, while Belinda Sledge, Sharon Taylor and Jodie Amor all competed in their first Ironman competition.

Darren and Tanya Farlow also competed, as did Greg Douglass.