The charge of the European brigade stands between Cameron Brown and a place in history at the 20^th anniversary Ironman New Zealand. Brown will attempt to become the first person to win four titles in a row at Taupo on March 6 in the oldest international Ironman race on the world calendar. He will need to overcome a group of teak-tough European triathletes, led by German star Normann Stadler, if he is to join Kiwi legend Erin Baker as the only four-time winners of Ironman New Zealand.

The 20^th anniversary event received a boost today with the announcement that Bonita Bananas will become the new naming sponsor. Bonita Bananas are distributed in New Zealand by Turners and Growers, a company that has supported Ironman New Zealand for several years. Bonita Bananas, an international brand leader, hope to become a long term sponsor and build on their natural synergy with the country's biggest and richest annual international sporting event. The announcement was accompanied with the naming of the professional men's field for the 20^th anniversary race.

Stadler follows in a line of great German Ironman stars including the 1995 and 1996 Ironman New Zealand champion Stefan Holzner and Thomas Hellriegel, who was the last man to beat Brown at Taupo in 2000. That was the year Stadler broke on to the Ironman scene when he cleared out on the bike to win Ironman Australia and successfully defended his title in 2001.

Stadler came on the scene as 21-year-old when he won the duathlon world championships, before moving up to the Ironman distance in 1999 when he was fourth on debut in Switzerland. He won Ironman Australia in 2000 and was third at the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii that year.

After defending his Australian title in 2001, Stadler finished fourth in Hawaii after he was passed late in the run by Brown. After missing the 2002 Hawaii race with injury, the German returned to finish fourth in Hawaii in October - where he was again passed on the run by Brown after he led by nearly five minutes off the bike. Two Swedes are keen to make things tough for Brown as well. Clas Bjorling, a former world age group Ironman champion at Hawaii, burst on to the professional scene when he finished fourth at Ironman New Zealand last year. He raced home on the fun to finish just 23 seconds behind Brown at the recent Auckland half ironman.

Bjorn Andersson set last year's Ironman New Zealand alight when he grabbed the lead early in the bike and cleared out, only to succumb to cramp at the 150km mark. He again led Brown by more than a minute in Auckland before a puncture ended his race. Ironically American Scott Molina, husband of Erin Baker, coaches Brown, Bjorling and Andersson.

Two Canadians also fancy their chances in Taupo. Garret MacFadyen is a strong biker-runner and returns after finishing third in 2002 and winning Ironman Canada in the same year. Gordo Byrn, who is based in Christchurch, won the 2002 world ultraman (double Ironman distance race) and was third at Ironman Canada in 2003. The pair finished seventh and eighth last year.

The professional men's field totals 26, including 10 New Zealanders. It also includes two time champion Ken Glah (USA), who is returning for his 10^th start at Ironman New Zealand. The 1992 and 1993 Ironman New Zealand champion has five victories to his name in a 20-year career. Others of interest include the current world ultraman champion Alexandre Ribeiro (Brazil) and talented Japanese triathlete Makoto Imaeda. There's a strong trio of Australians including Courtney Ogden (fourth at Taupo in 2002), Pete Jacobs (first out of the water at Ironman Australia last year) and Paul Patrick (two top-10 results in Australia over the past two years).

The men's pro elite field for the Bonita Bananas sponsored Ironman New Zealand is: Cameron Brown, Normann Stadler (GER), Clas Bjorling (SWE), Gordo Byrn (CAN), Courtney Ogden (AUS), Alexandre Ribeiro (BRA), Bjorn Andersson (SWE), Peter Jacobs (AUS), Garrett MacFadyen (CAN), Paul Patrick (AUS), Russell Smith, Kieran Doe, Francois Modave (USA), Clas Myrestam (Swe), Mark Watson, Brent Sheldrake, Brendon Downey, Makato Imaeda (JPN), Andrew Young, Mark Fulford, Wayne Shackleton, William Contreras (USA), Oliver Piggin, Joseph Ryan (AUS), Peter Van Mol (BEL), Clive Asplen (GBR), Ben Travis (USA), Jan Vodehnal (CZE), Ken Glah (USA).