Tim Berkel

Timothy Peter Van Berkel (born 29 June 1984 in Albury, New South Wales) is an Australian professional triathlete who races primarily in long distance triathlon events.

Tim Van Berkel

Berkel at Challenge Copenhagen 2011
Personal information
Full name	Timothy Peter Van Berkel
Nickname(s)	Berkel, Berks, Spanky, Mitty
Born	(1984-06-29) 29 June 1984 Albury, New South Wales, Australia
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	66 kg (146 lb)
Website	www.timberkel.com
Sport
Country	Australia
Sport	Triathlon
Turned pro	2005

Career

Van Berkel grew up in Wodonga, Victoria and played Australian Rules Football (AFL). He began training for and competing in triathlons at the age of 18 as a way of staying fit during the AFL off-season. In 2004 and 2005 he competed predominately in Age-Group races Australia.

In 2005 he raced at the World Age Group Championships in Hawaii in the 20- to 24-year category, finishing 9th. That was his last race as an amateur. At the age of 21, Van Berkel was granted a professional license. His first race as a professional was Port Macquarie Half Ironman in October 2005. At this time Van Berkel decided to move to Ballina, New South Wales to be closer to his coach, Grant Giles of Team Aeromax, who was based in Port Macquarie, New South Wales.

In 2007, Van Berkel made his debut at Ironman distance, competing in the Ironman Australia Championships and finishing 7th. In 2008, at 24 years old, Berkel won Ironman Western Australia in 2008, making him the second youngest Ironman Champion, behind Germany's Thomas Hellriegel by 20 days. He won his second Ironman distance event at Challenge Copenhagen in 2010, surpassing Hellreigal's accomplishment of having two Ironman distance wins by three months. In 2011 Van Berkel successfully defended his Challenge Copenhagen title in a closely fought race with Denmark's Jimmy Johnsen. Since turning professional, Van Berkel has competed in Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events in Australia, Asia, Europe and America.

In 2014, Van Berkel debuted at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. He finished 7th in a time of 8:23:26.

In 2015, Van Berkel came 2nd in the Asia-Pacific Ironman Championship in Melbourne, Australia. He was narrowly beaten by Canadian-born triathlete, Jeff Symonds. In August, Van Berkel engaged Dr Daniel Plews as his new coach.

In August 2015, Van Berkel finished 2nd to fellow Australian triathlete, Tim Reed, by 2 seconds, in the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship held in Cebu, Philippines. Then, in September of the same year, Van Berkel won Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast.

Personal life

Van Berkel lives in East Ballina, New South Wales.

Professional record

Results list

Date/Year Place Competition Venue Time Notes 2017/12/03 Third Ironman Western Australia Australia, Busselton, Western Australia 7:27:08 No swim leg for athletes due to sharks. 2017/11/26 Second Ironman 70.3 Thailand Thailand, Phuket, Thailand 3:52:49 2017/10/14 Fifteenth Ironman World Championship United States, Kona, Hawaii 8:28:05 2017/09/10 Second Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast Australia, Mooloolaba, Queensland 3:54:08 2017/06/12 Fourth Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship Australia, Cairns, Queensland 8:09:22 2017/05/07 First Ironman 70.3 Vietnam Vietnam, Danang 3:56:19 2017/03/19 Fifth Ironman 70.3 Taiwan Taiwan, Taitung, Taiwan 3:55:01 2017/03/12 Sixth Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay Philippines, Subic Bay 3:54:52 2017/02/19 Seventh Ironman 70.3 Geelong Australia, Geelong, Victoria 3:56:28 2016/12/11 Fourth Ironman 70.3 Ballarat Australia, Ballarat, Victoria 3:55:50 2016/11/27 Third Ironman 70.3 Thailand Thailand, Phuket, Thailand 4:05:32 2016/10/08 Nineteenth Ironman World Championship United States, Kona, Hawaii 8:35:27 2016/06/12 First Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship Australia, Cairns, Queensland 8:15:03 2016/05/08 Second Ironman 70.3 Vietnam Vietnam, Danang 3:55:08 2016/04/10 Second Ironman African Championship South Africa, Nelson Bay 8:14:51 2016/03/06 Fourth Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay Philippines, Subic Bay 3:53:19 2015/08/02 First Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast Australia, Mooloolaba, Queensland 3:46:05 2015/08/02 Second Ironman 70.3 Philippines Asia-Pacific Championship Philippines, Cebu 3:46:05 2015/06/14 Fourth Ironman 70.3 Cairns Australia, Queensland 3:57:55 2015/03/22 Second Ironman Melbourne Asia-Pacific Championship Australia, Melbourne 8:07:56 2015/01/18 Sixth Challenge Melbourne Australia, Melbourne 3:54:06 2015/01/18 Sixteenth Ironman New Zealand 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship New Zealand, Auckland 4:15:18 2014/12/06 Tenth Challenge Bahrain Bahrain, Manama 3:47:01 2014/10/12 Seventh Ironman World Championship United States, Kona, Hawaii 8:23:26 2014/08/10 Fifth Ironman 70.3 European Championship Germany, Wiesbaden, Germany 4:10:07 2014/07/06 Second Ironman Cairns Australia, Cairns, Queensland 8:23:23 2014/03/05 First Ironman 70.3 Busselton Australia, Busselton, Western Australia 3:43:07 New course record 2014/01/03 Fourth Ironman New Zealand New Zealand, Taupō, New Zealand 8:29:53 2014/01/02 First Challenge Melbourne Australia, Melbourne 3:52:37 2014/01/19 Twelfth Ironman Auckland 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship New Zealand, Taupō, New Zealand 3:52:21 2013/11/10 Second Ironman 70.3 Australian Championship Australia, Busselton, Western Australia 3:44:31 2013/10/20 Fourth Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 4:01:45 2013/08/31 Second Metaman Indonesia, Bintan Island 8:42:12 2013/08/18 Second Ironman 70.3 Yeppoon Australia, Yeppoon, Queensland 3:59:48 2013/09/06 Second Ironman Cairns Australia, Cairns, Queensland 8:22:16 2013/02/06 Sixth Coral Coast Triathlon 5150 Australia, Cairns, Queensland 1:50:09 2013/04/21 Eighth Ironman 70.3 New Orleans United States, New Orleans 3:53:48 2013/07/04 Second Ironman 70.3 Texas United States, Galveston, Texas 3:51:35 2013/10/02 Sixth Urban – Long Course Geelong Triathlon Festival Australia, Geelong, Victoria 3:54:27 2012/10/28 Second Port Macquarie 70.3 Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 3:54:45 2012/10/21 First Ironman 70.3 Mandurah Australia, Mandurah, Western Australia 3:39:59 2012/07/10 Second ULTIMATE – FORSTER Australia, Forster, New South Wales 4:43:43 2012/04/26 Second Ironman 70.3 Japan Japan, Tokoname, Aichi 4:03:42 2012/06/05 Second Ironman Australia Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 8:21:11 2012/12/02 Third Geelong Long Course Australia, Geelong, Victoria 3:39:59 2012/01/09 Second O2 Creation Triport Festival Australia, Goondiwindi, Queensland 4:11:02 2012/07/01 Third Port of Tauranga Half Ironman New Zealand, Tauranga 4:01:28 2011/09/10 Fourth REVOLUTION3 Triathlon United States, Anderson, South Carolina 3:57:53 2011/09/25 Third ESI Augusta Ironman 70.3 United States, Augusta, Georgia 3:51:54 2011/11/09 Eighth Ironman World Championship 70.3 United States, Henderson, Nevada 4:02:01 2011/08/14 First Challenge Copenhagen Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark 8:11:15 Successfully defended his title 2011/07/13 Second Ironman 70.3 Racine United States, Racine, Wisconsin 3:57:32 2011/05/06 Third Challenge Cairns Australia, Cairns, Queensland 8:29:20 2011/07/05 First Ironman 70.3 Busselton Australia, Busselton, Western Australia 3:51:27 2011/01/05 Second Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 4:01:40 2011/03/04 First NISSAN/BRW Corporate Triathlon – Team DAIKIN Australia, Sydney 0:27:15 2011/10/04 Second Triathlon Queensland Olympic Distance Championships Australia, Brisbane, Queensland 2010/08/15 First Challenge Copenhagen Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark 8:07:39 2010/11/07 Second Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island Australia, Providence, Rhode Island 4:02:05 2010/11/04 Second SiS Half Ironman Port Macquarie Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 4:04:20 2010/12/06 Third Ironman 70.3 Boise United States, Boise, Idaho 4:08:08 2010/06/06 Fourth Ironman 70.3 Mooseman United States, Newfound Lake, New Hampshire 4:06:23 2010/01/05 Third Busselton Half Ironman Australia, Busselton, Western Australia 3:51:59 2010/03/28 Seventh Ironman Australia Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 8:40:46 2010/02/21 Sixth Australia Long Course Championship Australia, New South Wales 3:43:06 2010/06/02 Third Ironman 70.3 Geelong Australia, Geelong, Victoria 3:56:10 2010/09/01 Third Port of Tauranga Half Ironman New Zealand, Tauranga, New Zealand 3:58:40 2009/11/15 Second Shepparton Half Ironman Australia, Shepparton, Victoria 3:52:29 2009/01/11 First Port Macquarie Half Ironman Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 4:00:38 2009/04/10 Second Gold Coast Half Ironman Australia, Gold Coast, Queensland 3:56:23 2009 First Port Douglas Long Course Australia, Port Douglas, Queensland 2009 Second 10th Anniversary Capricorn Resort Half Ironman Australia, Yeppoon, Queensland 4:04:24 2009/05/16 Tenth Ironman 70.3 Florida United States, Orlando, Florida 4:03:41 2009/05/04 Third Ironman Australia Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 8:31:43 2008/07/12 First Ironman Western Australia Australia, Busselton, Western Australia 8:07:06 2008 First Avanti Reef & Rainforest Triathlon Australia, Port Douglas, Queensland 2008/02/24 Second Australia Long Course Champs Australia, Huskisson, New South Wales 3:44:01 2008 First Port Douglas Long Course Australia, Port Douglas, Queensland 2008/05/10 Second Gold Coast Half Ironman Australia, Gold Coast, Queensland 4:00:06 2008/09/11 Second Port Macquarie Half Ironman Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 4:02:31 2008/10/19 Second New South Wales Long Course Championships Australia, Forster, New South Wales 2:52:57 2008/06/04 Fourth Ironman Australia Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 8:44:20 2008/07/13 Fifth Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island United States, Providence, Rhode Island 4:01:08 2008/08/05 Sixth Ironman 70.3 Eagleman United States, Cambridge, Maryland 4:06:38 2008/07/20 Seventh Ironman 70.3 Vineman United States, Sonoma County, California 3:59:42 2008/07/09 Eighth Ironman 70.3 Singapore Singapore 4:09:06 2008/09/02 Ninth Ironman 70.3 Geelong Australia, Geelong, Victoria 4:08:21 2007/11/18 First Shepparton Triathlons Australia, Shepparton, Victoria 3:58:36 2007/04/11 Fourth Port Macquarie Half Ironman Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 4:08:25 2007/11/30 Second Cannibal Gold Coast Half Ironman Australia, Gold Coast, Queensland 4:08:25 2007 Fourth Airlie Beach Triathlon Australia, Queensland 2007/03/06 Tenth Ironman 70.3 Switzerland Switzerland 4:01:40 2007 Twenty-ninth Italian Olympic Distance Championship Italy 2007/06/23 Fifth Ironman Switzerland Switzerland 8:49:09 2007/01/04 Seventh Ironman Australia Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 8:57:12 2007/02/25 Fifth Huskisson Australia Long Course Champions Pro Australia, Huskisson, New South Wales 3:42:35 2006/03/12 Seventh Laguna Phuket Pro Thailand, Phuket 2006/01/10 Third Cannibal Gold Coast Half Ironman, Pro Australia, Gold Coast, Queensland 4:03:25 2006 Fourth Rydges Capricorn Australian Half Ironman Series, Pro Australia, Queensland 2006/06/05 Seventh Busselton Half Ironman, Pro Australia, Busselton, Western Australia 4:04:51 2006 Third Airlie Beach Triathlon Australia, Queensland 2006 Second Camden Haven Triathlon Australia, New South Wales 2006 First Victorian Olympic Distance Championships U23 Elite Australia, Geelong, Victoria 2006 Tenth Australian Long Course Championships, Pro Australia, Huskisson, New South Wales 2006 First Dean St Duathlon Open Australia, Albury 2005 First Yackandanda Triathlon, Open Male Australia, Yackandandah, Victoria 2005 Third Busselton Half Ironman, Pro Australia, Busselton, Western Australia 2005/11/12 Fourth Canberra Half Ironman Australia, Canberra, ACT 4:27:05 2005/10/23 Ninth Port Maquarie Half Ironman Australia, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 4:17:21 2005 Second Victorian Olympic Distance Championships, U23 Elite Australia, Elwood, Victoria 2005 Ninth World Age Group Championships, 20–24 yr United States, Hawaii 2004 Third Victorian Sprint Distance Championships, Junior Elite Australia, Brighton, Victoria 2004 Third Australian Olympic Distance Championships,16–19 AG Australia, Mooloolaba, Queensland 2004 Second Australian Duathlon Championships, 20–24 AG Australia, Benalla, Victoria 2004/02/29 First Yackandandah Triathlon, Open Male Australia, Yackandandah, Victoria 2004 First Nail Can Hill Ironman (2003 & 2004) Open Australia, Albury

External links

• Official website