Australian triathlon great Mirinda Carfrae has done well to make it to the start line of the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships in one piece.
The two-time defending champion and Swiss star Daniela Ryf will be the woman to beat on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) in triathlon's most famous race.
But two bike crashes in the last fortnight could easily have derailed Carfrae's campaign for a fourth Hawaiian title.
Three days out from the race, Carfrae was left with bruising and a sore shoulder after a car turned in front of her near the race site at Kona.
That accident came only a fortnight after the Australian also crashed midway through a training ride.
"I don't remember the last time I've crashed but since I've been on this island I've crashed twice," she said.
"The training has been going well, except for my couple of little crashes.
"It (this week's crash) could have been much worse.
"I have a few more bruises but it's going to hurt (on Saturday) regardless."
Carfrae first won the day-long 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km run race in 2010 and is among only four women to have at least three titles at Kona.
She and Craig Alexander are Australia's three-time Hawaiian Ironman world champions.
Carfrae set the course record of eight hours 52 minutes 14 seconds in 2013 but her best performance at Hawaii was last year.
She was well off the pace after the bike - a whopping 14 minutes behind race leader Ryf.
Carfrae then broke her own run course record with a scorching 2:50:26 and beat Ryf by three minutes.
It was one of the greatest comebacks in the race's history and Carfrae wants to go even better.
"I'm all about unleashing the best performance ever on the island," she said.
"That's what I train for - to try to be the best athlete I can.
"I'm hoping that doesn't mean a massive deficit off the bike.
"But I'm still going to ride within myself ... so that I can run well off the bike."
Carfrae is the standout Australian hope in this year's field.
Liz Blatchford, who placed third two years ago, and Annabel Luxford are other top 10 women's hopes.
German defending champion Sebastian Kienle and compatriot Jan Frodeno, the 2008 Olympic champion, are the top men.
The top Australian men are Luke McKenzie, second two years ago, and Tim Van Berkel after last year's breakout seventh placing.
Two-time Olympian Brad Kahlefeldt is making his Hawaiian Ironman debut and could also be among the frontrunners.
Other top Australians have pulled out or have retired from the Hawaiian Ironman.
A string of injuries forced Mel Hauschildt to postpone her much-anticipated Kona debut, while 2012 champion Pete Jacobs withdrew because of illness.
Alexander has raced at Hawaii for the last time and two-time winner Chris McCormack now manages the Bahrain Endurance Team.
An Australian has won either the men's or women's races at Hawaii every year since 2006.
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