Kevin Fergusson has vowed to push ahead with his ambition to complete an Ironman triathlon race with quadriplegic Sid James after the heartache of their Hawaii world championships withdrawal.
Fergusson was to tow James on a raft through the 3.8km ocean swim at Kona on Saturday (Sunday AEDT), before pulling him on a customised bike on the 180km cycle leg and then pushing him in a wheelchair for the 42.2km run.
But about 10 days ago, the South Australians received news that the health risks to James - in the savage heat and humidity of Kona on the Big Island - were too significant.
"It was pretty shattering," Fergusson told AAP in Kona.
"We had monitoring equipment that measured Sid's vital signs - such as body core temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure, dehydration levels.
"But unfortunately they looked at Sid's medical records and said it was too risky."
Ironman organisers ensured Fergusson and James still travelled to Hawaii for the race.
Fergusson, who is one of Australia's top age-group triathletes and has won the 55-59 category in Hawaii previously, will still compete as an individual.
In the week leading up to the race, Fergusson has taken James out to tackle parts of the famed Big Island course.
American Dick Hoyt famously finished the race with his son Rick, who has cerebral palsy.
But James would've become the first quadriplegic to finish an Ironman-distance race.
It's an ambition the pair haven't given up on, and are planning to make history at Ironman Western Australia next year.
"I don't think it's ever going to be possible (in Hawaii) because ... if Sid needed to have a drip, they need to go into his bone which is pretty serious stuff," Fergusson said.
"So we will try Busso (Busselton in WA). It would be a lot safer environment.
"We can get things into place really early ... so there's plenty of time to work at it and look at all the risks."
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