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Mythical, legendary, iconic...there is no shortage of adjectives to describe Hawaii's Ironman, the pioneer of long-distance triathlon. Considered one of the toughest competitions in the world, the famous 226 km long Kona course is a dream for all triathletes. But why is it so idolized among Ironman internationally? What are the events of the Ironman World Championship? Immerse yourself in the paradise setting of Big Island, between swimming, cycling and running, to discover more about this extraordinary XXL triathlon!
The Ironman World Championship: the myth of Hawaii
The Hawaii Ironman is held every October in the United States, around the town of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. It is a long-distance triathlon of XXL format, but not just any triathlon: it is the grand finale of the Ironman World Championships! And it has been since 1990.
During twelve months, triple effort enthusiasts compete in Ironman-labeled events across the globe. If they place among the top of the professional or amateur age group rankings, they can then hope to earn their ticket to the most prestigious triathlon on the circuit. The Ironman series events do indeed offer a some number of qualifying spots. In all, more than 2,000 competitors have the privilege of setting foot on Hawaiian soil.
An ambition that requires a tremendous amount of personal investment!
But do you know how the Hawaii Ironman came about?
The birth of the Hawaii Ironman
The Hawaii Ironman is also the very first triathlon ever held over such distances. That's why the name "Ironman" has now become synonymous with extreme competition around the globe.
It all began in 1977 when John Collins, commander of the U.S. Navy, suggested combining the three toughest Hawaiian events into one race. The goal is to end an informal debate questioning the potential supremacy of swimmers, cyclists or runners. As you can guess, it is obviously about combining the disciplines of swimming, cycling and running.
In 1978, the event takes place: Lyn Lemaire and Gordon Haller, both Americans, are crowned the first "Iron Man" (Iron Man) and "Iron Woman" (Iron Woman) in history.
Originally held in Honolulu, the competition moved to Big Island beginning in 1981. In 1982, the incredible performance of Julie Moss made a lasting impression on the world. Then leading the race, the American triathlete collapsed a few meters from the finish and finished the event by crawling.
This historic moment broadcast on all televisions helped popularize the sporting event internationally. A sensational demonstration of strength, courage and determination that became a source of inspiration for future participants, but also for the label itself. From then on, the Ironman brand motto was born "anything is possible", meaning "everything is possible".
Ironman World Championship distances
Competitors compete over a total distance of 226 km split into three events of varying lengths:
- swimming, with 3.8 km;
- cycling, with 180 km;
- running, with 42.195 km (marathon).
Of course, the very essence of the chained discipline means that the clock does not stop ticking between changes of events.
The swimming event in Kailua Bay
The Pacific Ocean is the setting for the swimming component. When the starting gun sounds, the triathletes begin the adventure of a lifetime by jumping into the Kailua-Kona Bay. The challenge is to make it through the mass of swimmers. The route involves a single loop in warm turquoise water (25 degrees on average).
The time limit to complete the course is 2 hr 20 min.
The Big Island Cycling Event
The cycling component takes over: competitors swallow the miles in humid heat that is often difficult to bear, even suffocating. The thermometer sometimes exceeds the 40-degree mark!
The relief of the course consists of false up and down flats for a cumulative positive vertical drop approaching 2,000 m. In addition, the wind that blows in Hawaii, called the Ho'o Mumuku, is particularly unpredictable. An additional significant difficulty for triathletes.
The bike route consists of a round trip along the coast from Kailua-Kona to Hawi. A postcard setting that will not leave participants indifferent.
Note that you will need to drop off your bike within the allotted time of 10:30 min after your wave starts at the beginning of the triathlon. Failure to do so will result in you not being able to run the marathon.
Note
The marathon on the Kona course
The transition from bike to run is no small feat as fatigue builds and a blazing sun beats down. Running the marathon is a tour de force that's mostly mental.
The last
run
is the one that's most important
For this final endurance event, the athletes head north of the island first, toward the airport, before turning around. They reach Pahoehoe Beach Park south of Kailua-Kona, then retrace their steps.
The famous finish line looms on the horizon on Alii Drive, the ultimate fantasy of competitors at the end of a harrowing effort that must be completed in at least 17 hours. No doubt this memorable race will remain forever etched in everyone's memories!
Records on the Hawaii Ironman
The current Ironman world champion is Anne Haug (8:40:10), the first German woman to win the gold medal.
The best time goes to Switzerland's Daniela Ryf (8:26:16), who holds no less than four victories in the event.
With her eight titles, the phenomenal Paula Newby-Fraser, nicknamed the Queen of Kona (the Queen of Kona), explodes the record of female victories! Impossible not to mention also the Swiss triathlete Natascha Badmann and her six triumphs, as well as the British Chrissie Wellington (four titles).
Among the men, the 2019 champion is called Jan Frodeno. With this third title obtained in 7 h 51 min 13 s, the German does double duty. He recovers his crown after the two consecutive years of crowns of his compatriot Patrick Lange and takes the best time in the history of Ironman Hawaii.
The record of male victories is shared between the two American triathletes Dave Scott and Mark Allen, who awarded themselves the gold six times, respectively in the 80s and 90s. More recently, Jan Frodeno and Australia's Craig Alexander are three-time Ironman world champions.
Ironman Hawaii has no secrets for you! How about learning more about other Ironmans such as the Barcelona Ironman or the Frankfurt Ironman?
