For over four decades the IRONMAN World Championship has brought the world's best athletes together in competition. The inaugural KONA™ race was held in 1978 as a way to challenge athletes who had seen success at endurance swimming and running events. Honolulu-based Navy couple Judy and John Collins proposed combining the three toughest endurance races in Hawai’i—the 2.4-mile Waikiki Roughwater Swim, 112 miles of the Around-O’ahu Bike Race and the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon—into one event.
On February 18, 1978, 15 people came to Waikiki to take on the IRONMAN challenge. Prior to racing, each received three sheets of paper with a few rules and a course description. The last page read: "Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life!"
In 1981, the race moved from the tranquil shores of Waikiki to the barren lava fields of Kona on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Along the Kona Coast, black lava rock dominates the panorama, and athletes battle the "ho’omumuku" crosswinds of 45 mph, 95-degree temperatures and a scorching sun.
The IRONMAN World Championship centers on the dedication and courage exhibited by participants who demonstrate the IRONMAN mantra that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.® On October 12th, over 2,000 athletes will embark on a 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind and spirit to earn the title of IRONMAN.
MALE PRO:
M1 Patrick Lange GER
M2 Bart Aernouts BEL
M3 David McNamee GBR
M4 Jan Frodeno GER
M5 Sebastian Kienle GER
M6 Tim O’Donnell USA
M7 Braden Currie NZL
M8 Matthew Russell USA
M9 Joe Skipper GBR
M10 Andy Potts USA
M11 Cameron Wurf AUS
M12 Michael Weiss AUT
M14 Ben Hoffman USA
M15 Patrik Nilsson SWE
M16 Tim Reed AUS
M17 Lionel Sanders CAN
M18 James Cunnama RSA
M19 Andi Boecherer GER
M20 Cody Beals CAN
M21 Daniel Bakkegard DEN
M22 Eneko Llanos ESP
M24 Alistair Brownlee GBR
M25 Daniel Fontana ITA
M26 Matt Hanson USA
M27 Kristian Hogenhaug DEN
M28 Chris Leiferman USA
M29 Mike Phillips NZL
M30 Daniil Sapunov UKR
M31 Boris Stein GER
M32 Jesper Svensson SWE
M33 Matt Trautman RSA
M34 Jan Van Berkel SUI
M35 Clemente Alonso-McKernan ESP
M36 Josh Amberger AUS
M38 Will Clarke GBR
M39 Maurice Clavel GER
M40 Mario De Elias ARG
M41 David Dellow AUS
M42 Tobias Drachler GER
M43 Andreas Dreitz GER
M44 Marc Duelsen GER
M45 Nils Frommhold GER
M46 Joe Gambles AUS
M47 Philipp Koutny SUI
M48 Franz Loeschke GER
M49 Kramer Lukas GER
M50 Kennett Peterson USA
M51 David Plese SVN
M52 Stefan Schumacher GER
M53 Frank Silvestrin Souza BRA
M54 Andrew Starykowicz USA
M55 TJ Tollakson USA
M56 Tim Van Berkel AUS
M57 Cyril Viennot FRA
FEMALE PRO:
F1 Daniela Ryf SUI
F2 Lucy Charles-Barclay GBR
F3 Anne Haug GER
F4 Mirinda Carfrae AUS
F5 Sarah TRUE USA
F6 Sarah Crowley AUS
F7 Kaisa Sali FIN
F8 Corinne Abraham GBR
F9 Linsey Corbin USA
F11 Heather Jackson USA
F12 Carrie Lester AUS
F14 Nikki Bartlett GBR
F15 Emma Bilham SUI
F16 Lauren Brandon USA
F17 Susie Cheetham GBR
F18 Mareen Hufe GER
F19 Sue Huse CAN
F20 Jocelyn McCauley USA
F21 Laura Philipp GER
F22 Sarah Piampiano USA
F23 Daniela Bleymehl GER
F24 Laura Siddall GBR
F25 Jennifer Spieldenner USA
F26 Caroline Steffen SUI
F27 Svenja Thoes GER
F28 Jen Annett CAN
F29 Nina Derron SUI
F30 Gurutze Frades ESP
F31 Meredith Kessler USA
F32 Martina Kunz SUI
F33 Kristin Liepold GER
F34 Danielle Mack USA
F35 Kimberley Morrison GBR
F36 Camilla Pedersen DEN
F37 Barbara Riveros CHI
F38 Jeanni Seymour ZAF
F39 Imogen Simmonds SUI
F40 Lesley Smith USA
F41 Maja Stage-Nielsen DEN
F42 Bianca Steurer AUT
F43 Els Visser NLD
F44 Annah Watkinson RSA
F45 Kelsey Withrow USA