THE WOODLANDS, TX - APRIL 28: Melissa Hauschildt of Australia celebrates winning the 2018 Memorial Hermann IRONMAN North American Championship Texas with second place (L) Jodie Roberston and third place (R) Lesley Smith on April 28, 2018 in The Woodlands, Texas. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for IRONMAN/AFP Melissa Hauschildt guns for another crown in this side of the globe when she headlines the star-studded Ironman 70.3 Philippines Asia-Pacific Sunday at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

The Aussie ace’s streak of victories actually included four tough races this year, the latest of which was the Ironman 70.3 European Championships in Denmark last month.

The 35-year-old Adelaide native also ruled the Port of Tauranga half Ironman in New Zealand in January then dominated the Ironman 70.3 Texas race and the full Ironman Texas-North American Championships last April, virtually making her the triathlete to beat in the women’s pro division of the exacting 1.9km swim-90km bike-21.2km run event.

“Though racing for the first time in the country, Hauschildt remains the top favorite, being a three-time world champ and three-time Asia-Pacific and European titlist,” said Princess Galura, general manager of the organizing Sunrise Events, Inc.

“But with depth of the field and given the challenging course, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” added Galura, pointing to the likes of Czech Radka Kahlefeldt, Caroline Steffen, Dimity Lee Duke and Beth McKenzie as the likely contenders to foil Hauschildt drive for a first Ironman 70.3 title.

Kahlefeldt is coming off victories in the Ironman 70.3 Subic last year and the first Ironman 70.3 in Davao City last March while Steffen is a four-time Philippine champion.