Ironman World Championship

The Ironman Hawaii is the oldest and also the most famous and spectacular Ironman [' aɪɘrn ˌ men ] ( British pronunciation: [ ' aɪɘn ˌ men ] ) and is since 1978, held every year on the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean (since 1981 on the Big Iceland, before on Oahu ). He is the ultimate goal of most triathletes. For this competition you have to qualify through a fast overall time in his age group at one of the world taking place and licensed as Ironman competitions since 1988.

The Triathlon Ironman Hawaii takes place every year in October and is considered one of the toughest endurance races in the world. In addition to the extreme length of the race course come to Hawaii aggravating race conditions, where the athletes are exposed to during the race, added. In addition to the heat go up to over 40 degrees Celsius, the emerging Mumuku winds especially on the 180.2 km (112 mile) bike course can greatly affect the race, especially since there - is the slipstreaming strictly forbidden - as with all Ironman races.

• 4.1 1974 - Prehistory in San Diego
• 4.2 1978 - Erstaustragung the " Ironman "
• 4.3 1979 - Press increases the awareness
• 4.4 1980 to 1989 - Legend education
• 4.5 1990-1997 - Internationalization
• 4.6 1998 to 2013 - twenty years later

• 5.1 Men
• 5.2 Women

Running of the competition

The race starts in the morning at seven clock in Kailua -Kona with the 3.86 km ( 2.4 miles ) long swim out to sea and back. This is followed by the bike course through the lava fields north along the Queen K Highway with the turning point in Hawi. After 180.2 kilometers ( 112 miles ), the wheel is again replaced in Kailua Kona against the running shoes. The marathon leads up to the Natural Energy Lab, a research station for the use of ocean energy, and ends at the finish line on Ali'i Drive in Kona.

Qualification

Ironman competitions take place every year around the world, in which you can qualify for Ironman Hawaii. In 2010, 24 competitions were held. Some of them run only about half the distance ( Ironman 70.3 ). Increased the amount of qualifying spots for Hawaii depends on the age group and the respective Ironman competition.

From the pros to 50 men and 30 women can qualify. You can also qualify via the Kona Pro Ranking: Winners of the last five years will receive a starting spot if they complete successfully since the last World Cup a long distance.

The starting field usually includes about 1,800 athletes.

The qualification period beginning on 1 September and ends always on August 31. The rating is started anew each year again - so collected points can not be transferred to the next qualification period. The official qualifier for the Ironman Hawaii is possible by a race of Ironman Triathlon World Series or individual Ironman 70.3 race:

• Australia: Ironman Australia, Ironman Cairns, Melbourne Ironman and Ironman Western Australia
• Brazil Brazil: Ironman Brasil
• Canada Canada: Ironman Canada and Ironman Mont- Tremblant
• Germany Germany: Ironman Germany and Ironman Regensburg
• France France: Ironman France
• Mexico Mexico: Ironman Mexico
• New Zealand New Zealand: Ironman New Zealand
• Austria Austria: Ironman Austria
• Switzerland Switzerland: Ironman Switzerland
• Sweden Sweden: Ironman Sweden
• Spain: Ironman Lanzarote
• South Africa South Africa: Ironman South Africa
• Flag of South Korea South Korea: Ironman Korea
• United States United States: Ironman Arizona, Ironman Coeur d' Alene, Ironman Florida, Ironman Lake Tahoe, Ironman Louisville, Ironman New York, Ironman St. George, Ironman Texas, Ironman USA and Ironman Wisconsin
• United Kingdom United Kingdom: Ironman UK and Ironman Wales

Race the Ironman 70.3 Series: Ironman 70.3 St. Croix Ironman 70.3 Hawaii, Eagleman Ironman 70.3, Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Ironman 70.3 Tokoname

Route

Swimming

The swim about 3.86 km (or 2.4 miles ) in the Pacific leads from the Kailua Pier in the bay of Kailua-Kona in a southerly direction to a turning point in the half of the distance and then back to the start area. Wetsuits are not allowed in Hawaii, since the water in Kailua Bay is well above the limit of 24 ° C. The swim course in Hawaii will be closed 2:20 after the start of the race the age-group athletes.

Cycling

The route via 180.2 (or 112 miles ) kilometers of cycling initially runs in a southerly direction to the first turning point, then back through Kona and in a northerly direction along the Kona and Kohala Coast to the second turning point in the small town of Hawi and the same route back to Kona. It must be mastered about 1,500 meters in altitude. The highest point of the route is about 200 meters above the sea. Drafting is generally prohibited in the Ironman and the athletes must maintain at least ten meters distance from the vehicle ahead, or else face time penalties to be imposed by the Race Marshals and then served immediately in one of four penalty boxes. The bike course is closed 10:30 h after the start of the race.

Running

The 42.195 kilometer track ( corresponds exactly to the marathon distance) first runs south to Keauhou to a first turning point, then back through Kona north along the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway ( on the runs and the bike course ) to the second turning point, in the so-called Natural Energy Lab, and then back south. The destination is located on Ali'i Drive in Kona.

All athletes must have completed no later than midnight the marathon and thus remain a total of 17 hours to cross the finish line.

History

After the resulting France in 1920 precursor of the modern triathlon was forgotten, endurance triathlon mid -1970s was again "invented" in California. It was developed from the jogging wave, which aroused the also the former mid-thirties and former competitive swimmer Jack Johnstone. In 1974, he and Don Shanahan organized in San Diego as the first "triathlon" designated event.

1974 - Prehistory in San Diego

Because of the lagoon in the middle of San Diego's Mission Bay here offered the combination of swimming and running on the beach on as an endurance sport. Soon we competitions organized under the name " Biathlon " - instead Duathlon - not knowing or ignoring that this has long been a Winter Olympic sport called. The Dave Pain Birthday Biathlon since 1972 was such a small amateur competition with the disciplines of running 4.5 miles and a quarter-mile swim.

Jack Johnstone took part in it in 1973 and 1974 and was then as soon as possible to align a biathlon itself. His sponsor, the San Diego Track Club, referred him to Don Shanahan, who entertain similar thoughts. This suggested the integration of a bicycle race. Johnstone had, like most Americans, do not have a bike and was skeptical, but went on the proposal and called the Mission Bay Triathlon competition. Supposedly asked the sign maker who should make the winning trophies, Johnstone for the correct spelling of the word "triathlon", which was not then to be found in a dictionary.

In the late afternoon of September 25, 1974 46 participants were at the start of the routes running 6 miles, 5 miles and cycling 500 yards swimming. Due to the dawn -lit car headlights on the beach the last few meters of the swim course. Winner Bill Phillips was after 55:44 minutes. Johnstone himself was sixth, Shanahan did not participate due to an injury and took over the race lead. As 35 of 46 " finishers " John Collins came to the finish, Commander of the United States Navy, who with his wife, Judy, you once again participated in 1975 and 1978 co-founder of the Ironman was.

1978 - Erstaustragung the " Ironman "

During the award ceremony for the Oahu Perimeter Relay in Honolulu, a running competition for teams of five athletes, participants discussed the " Mid-Pacific Road Runners " and " Waikiki Swim Club ", once again whether swimmers or runners were the fitter athletes. John Collins pointed out that the greatest oxygen uptake ability of an athlete was measured at cyclist Eddy Merckx. He therefore proposed to combine three existing on O'ahu race: the Waikiki Rough Water Swim ( 2.4 miles / 3.86 km ), the Around - Oahu Bike Race "Ride around the Iceland " (115 miles, originally a two-day race) and the Honolulu Marathon ( 26.2 Meilen/42, 195 km). By shortening to three miles, it was possible to start the cycling of the ocean swim and to let it end at the Aloha Tower, the traditional marathon start. The naming is based on a story Collins ' remark in the founder round: " Whoever finishes first, we'll call him the Iron Man."

In the early morning of February 18, 1978, 15 starters went on in 1978 to appoint a king of endurance in non-stop competition all three distances. 12 participants reached the goal. The soldier John Dunbar was while running in the lead, but went his crew from the water and they brought their athletes instead of beer. With more and more alcohol in the blood Dunbar was overtaken and at the end the taxi driver Gordon Haller after 11 hours, 46 minutes and 58 seconds the first "Iron Man".

1979 - press increases the awareness

Word of mouth was enough to ensure that it is already reported 50 athletes of the year. Due to bad weather the event had but one day, be on Sunday, moved, so that finally only 15 participants dare the adventure as last year. The then 35 -year-old Tom Warren from San Diego won in 11:15:56 hours. Lyn Lemaire, Meisterschaftsradfahrerin from Boston, was a total of Sixth and first "Iron Woman".

Collins was planning to change the race in a relay race, but the Sports Illustrated journalist Barry McDermot, due to a golf tournament in the area, discovered the race and wrote a ten -page article.

1980 to 1989 - Legend education

The following year, Collins was contacted by hundreds of interested. The American television network ABC broadcast the spectacle and thus contributed to global attention and to myth Ironman Hawaii. From 108 starting 95 athletes crossed the finish line. Add 9:24:33 hours for the first time won U.S. athlete Dave Scott, who later together with his compatriot Mark Allen, one and a half decades decisively shaped for the race series winner.

1981 Ironman Hawaii was now well known in Germany a wide television audience through a report by the ZDF sports reportage. Already in the following year, the first triathlon events were organized, including food, Kehl and Immenstadt.

From 1982 was conducted on Oahu on the largest Hawaiian island "Big Iceland " the Ironman Hawaii instead. In addition, the "Race day" has been moved from spring into October, so there were two editions in that year. Reason was the growing popularity especially in Europe, where weather conditions of the summer is better suited for competition preparation. With Detlef Kühnel from Roth and Manuel Debus from Nuremberg for the first time took part in German triathletes. The lying with women in leadership Julie Moss collapsed due to dehydration close to the finish line and Kathleen McCartney won. Moss eventually picked himself up and crossed the finish line in second place - on all fours, and broadcast live around the world. The daily newspaper commented this as " a symbol of a sport that forces more than any other physical exercises in front of her man to his limits -. , And sometimes beyond," The live experience of the drama prompted Mark Allen for their own participation and Julie Moss later became his woman.

1985 came in the women for the first time Paula Newby - Fraser of Zimbabwe on the podium. She was third in 10:31:04 - and in the following decade and a half for all dominant figure in women: By 1996, they took some 12 times in succession and won eight times - twice more than Dave Scott and Mark Allen.

At the penultimate of his half-dozen victories screwed Dave Scott 1986, the fastest time to time fulminant 8:28:37. Paula Newby - Fraser won at the age of only 24 years for the first time and stayed in the new record time 9:49:14 the first woman under the limit of ten hours.

In 1989, Wolfgang Dittrich led as a freshman at the race to the marathon. Then there was a legendary head-to -head race between Dave Scott and Mark Allen. Scott had won in the last nine years, six times, but Mark Allen succeeded in his sixth start for the first time, refer to Dave Scott at number two: even though this in 8:10:13 managed an incredible personal best, Allen won by 58 seconds ahead, he could work out at the end of a slight increase in the new record time of 8:09:15.

1990-1997 - Internationalization

Paula Newby - Fraser 1992 undercut the first woman to now the nine- hour limit at Ironman Hawaii and presented with a 8:55:28 record time for women who could not be undercut by 2009.

1993 Wolfgang Dittrich came in 8:20:13 with space as the first German to the podium, behind Mark Allen, who won first and to date the only one fifth title in a row. Jürgen Zäck presented in 4:27:42 to set a new record on the bike course and came in fifth.

In 1994, won for the first time with Greg Welch of Australia in 8:20:27 no U.S. citizen. Dave Scott at number two succeeded at the age of 40 years in a personal best 8:24:32 the senior class M40 in Hawaii. Jürgen Zäck and only 23 years old Olaf Sabatschus and Lothar Leder in positions four to six initiated a more German top results.

The woman competition at the Ironman Hawaii in 1995 ended in an exciting and tragic for Paula Newby - Fraser Finale: Long in the lead, they collapsed just 400 meters from the finish and missed, is there more than twenty minutes after the winners sluggish in goal as fourth to up only time the podium. Behind Mark Allen, who celebrated his sixth and final title, Thomas Hellriegel and Rainer Müller- horns occupied in their first start in Hawaii, the second and third places.

A year later, in 1996, won by Luc Van Lierde of Belgium for the first time an athlete from Europe. He increased the track record for the next 15 years to now 8:04:08. Thomas Hellriegel was, like last year, behind Mark Allen, second in 8:06:07. For women, Paula Newby - Fraser won for the eighth and final time in 9:06:49. Behind her walked with Natascha from Switzerland its later successor as a dominant woman for the first time the podium.

The ensuing 1997 was the year of Germany: his athletes occupied with Thomas Hellriegel ( 8:33:01 ), Jürgen Zäck ( 8:39:18 ) and Lothar Leder ( 8:40:30 ) complete the podium of the men. It is the first and only time that three athletes or athletes of a single foreign country occupied all podiums.

1998 to 2013 - twenty years later

1998 Natascha won for the first of six times ( 2000-2002, 2004 and 2005 ). After five less successful participations, some with falls and racing crashes, she succeeded in 2012 - now with 45 years - in 9:26:25 again an excellent sixth place and a personal best of the senior class W45.

For men won in 1998 Peter Reid of Canada. He could repeat the 2000 and 2003 two more times and thus for the first time enter a series of three victories in the men after Dave Scott and Mark Allen.

2003 celebrated Peter Reid and Lori Bowden first couple a double victory at the most famous triathlon in the world.

In 2004, Normann Stadler took with a magnificent bull by the horns on the bike course (20 minutes ahead ) as the second German victory in Hawaii.

2005 won the then 27 -year-old Faris Al -Sultan as - until today - the third German with a clear lead in 8:14:17. Natascha won for the sixth and last time in the women with a time of 9:09:30.

The 2006 competition was a few days almost canceled due to earthquake before. Normann Stadler repeated his triumph of 2004 with a time of 8:11:56. Defending champion Faris Al -Sultan was behind Chris McCormack third parties.

2007 won with Chrissie Wellington in 9:08:45 for the first time a woman from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, thus initiating the recent winning streak of an athlete: You also won in 2008, 2009 and 2011 in these three years, it did her Craig Alexander in the men's equal. and did so with Chris McCormack (2007 and 2010) and Pete Jacobs (2012 ), Australia for six years made ​​it the leading nation of men at Ironman Hawaii.

In the 2009 race Chrissie Wellington improved existing since 1992 Paula Newby - Fraser's course record in 8:54:02 hours by 86 seconds. Only 22 men were faster than them. Craig Alexander undercutting two years later, in 2011, with his winning time of 8:03:56 and the old men of the Belgian Luc Van Lierde record in 1996 - by as much as 12 seconds. 2013, there was again a new record performance in women through Mirinda Carfrae in 8:52:14.

The average age of the athletes competing in 2013 was 40 years for men and 42 years for women.

Record holder

The most successful triathletes in Hawaii are each provided with six wins, the two Americans, Dave Scott and Mark Allen. The Canadian Peter Reid and the Australian Craig Alexander could finish the race three times victorious. This is followed by Scott Tinley, Tim DeBoom (both USA), Normann Stadler ( Germany ), the Belgian Luc van Lierde and Australian Chris McCormack with two victories.

As the first German climbed Wolfgang Dittrich from Neuss in 1993 as third in 8:20:13 h the podium, prompting from Hannes Blaschke than previously top ranked German, who was fourth in 1985. Thomas Hellriegel could finally achieve the first German Hawaii win in 8:33:01 hours behind Mark Allen and 1996 Luc van Lierde behind in 1997 after two second places in 1995. He won here before Jürgen Zäck and Lothar Leder. 2004 won Normann Stadler German as a second with 8:33:29 h This success should he can repeat 2006 ( 8:11:56 h). Faris Al -Sultan wins in 2005 as the third German to 8:14:17 h the Ironman World Championships.

In 2011, Craig Alexander with his winning time of 8:03:56 hours a new record in Hawaii on. He undercut the previous best time, the Belgian Luc Van Lierde of had set up in 1996 to 12 seconds.

The fastest swim time scored 1998 Lars Jorgensen (USA) in 46:41 minutes. Fastest German swimmer was Jan Sibbersen 2003 46:50 minutes.

The 180 km bike course in Hawaii, graduated from Normann Stadler 2006 fastest with 4:18:23 h ( 41.8 km / h ). He improved the record of Thomas Hellriegel of 1996 ( 4:24:50 h).

The fastest marathon was led by Mark Allen in 2:40:04 hours in 1989 - but on the Old Course - run. Record at the current exchange rate is 2:41:48 h Luc Van Lierde of 1996. Fastest German on the marathon distance was 2010 Andreas Raelert in 2:44:25 h

Women

In the women won Paula Newby - Fraser (Zimbabwe ) eight times. She held the course record in 1992 with 8:55:28 hours and only in 2009 was Chrissie Wellington beat that course record by 86 seconds with her ​​winning time of 8:54:02 hours. Only 22 men at that time were faster than Wellington.

2013 Australian Mirinda Carfrae improved the course record by almost a further two minutes to 8:52:14 hours and was primarily the marathon in another record time of 2:50:38 for women, only two men were fast on this day.

On a total of six wins comes the Swiss Natascha.

List of winners

Note: Only for the first five years, the month is specified; since 1982, when there were two events, the date is always in October.

Country

In the success statistics of countries by podium finishes in both men and women, the United States still remain much higher than the host country to the top. In the course of further increasing international popularity of the Ironman Hawaii, however, is emerging in recent years, an increasing number of other nations catch up with the success of the U.S. "pioneers".