TheIronman World Championship is atriathlon held annually inHawaii,United States from 1978 to 2022, with no race in 2020 and an additional race in 1982. It is owned and organized by theWorld Triathlon Corporation. It is the annual culmination of a series ofIronman triathlon qualification races held throughout the world. From 2023 to 2025, the Men's and Women's Ironman World Championships were separated with one at Kona and the other hosted at another venue.[1] Beginning in 2026, both the men's and women's races of the championship will once more take place inKailua-Kona.[2]
From 1978 through 1980 the race was held on the island ofOahu, the course combining that of three events already held there: theWaikiki Roughwater Swim (2.4 mi./3.86 km), the Around-Oahu Bike Race (115 mi./185.07 km, originally a two-day event), and theHonolulu Marathon. The bike stage was reduced by 3 miles to link it to the start of the marathon course. In 1981 the race was moved to the less urbanizedBig Island, keeping the distances the same: a 2.4 miles (3.86 km)open water swim in Kailua-Kona Bay, a 112 miles (180.25 km)bike ride across the Hawaiian lava desert toHāwī and back, and amarathon (26 miles 385 yards, 42.195 km) run along the coast of the Big Island fromKeauhou toKeahole Point and back toKailua-Kona, finishing on Aliʻi Drive.
Since 1982, the race has been held in the fall each year, before which it was held in the spring, giving two races in 1982.
Athletes with disabilities compete in the event in the physically challenged category, which was instituted in 1997, and are required to meet the same cutoff times as able bodied competitors.[3] AustralianJohn Maclean was the first physically challenged athlete to complete the event under the cut-off time.[4][5]
Because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Ironman World Championship was initially postponed to February 2021 and then canceled with that year's qualifiers able to defer to race in 2021 or 2022.[6] The 2021 Championship was postponed to May 2022 and held inSt. George, Utah due to travel restrictions.
The 2022 Ironman World Championship was split with a men's and women's race and the Women's Championship on October 6 followed by the Men's Championship two days later. Also from 2022,Vietnam'sautomobile makerVinFast was the first ever naming rights partner for2022 Ironman World Championship and2023 Ironman 70.3 World Championship.[7]
Since 2023 the men's and women's Ironman World Championships have been split and alternated between Nice, France, and Kona, Hawaii. In 2023, the men's event held on September 10 in Nice, France, and the women's on October 14 in Kona, Hawaii.[8] The men's and women's Championships alternate between these venues until 2026.[1]
Qualifying for the World Championship is achieved through placement in one of the other Ironman races or someIronman 70.3 races.
The current Ironman Hawaii course record was set in 2024 byPatrick Lange (Germany), whose winning time was 7 hrs 35 min 53 sec.[9] The women's course record is 8 hrs 24 mins 31 sec, set in 2023 byLucy Charles-Barclay (UK).[10]
| Event | Record | Speed | Athlete | Nationality | Edition | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Course | 7:35:53 (47:09 - 2:20 - 4:06:22 - 2:30 - 2:37:34) | Patrick Lange |  Germany | 2024 | [9] | |
| Swim (3.862 km) | 45:43 | 1:12 min/100 m | Sam Askey-Doran |  Australia | 2024 | [11] |
| Bike (180.246 km) | 3:57:22 | 45.56 km/h | Sam Laidlow |  France | 2024 | [9] |
| Run (42.195 km) | 2:36:15 | 16.2 km/h / 3:42 min/km | Gustav Iden |  Norway | 2022 | [9] |
| Event | Record | Speed | Athlete | Nationality | Edition | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Course | 8:24:31 (49:36 - 2:29 - 4:32:28 - 2:20 - 2:57:38) | 26.91 km/h | Lucy Charles-Barclay |  United Kingdom | 2023 | [10] |
| Swim (3.862 km) | 48:14 | 1:14 min/100 m | Lucy Charles-Barclay | United Kingdom | 2018 | [12] |
| Bike (180.246 km) | 4:26:07 | 40.64 km/h | Daniela Ryf |  Switzerland | 2018 | [13] |
| Run (42.195 km) | 2:47:23 | 3:58 min/km | Kat Matthews | United Kingdom | 2025 | [14] |
‡The 2021 World Championship was held inSt. George, Utah on May 7, 2022. The delay and change from the originalKona, Hawaii venue were due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
Switzerland
United States
Zimbabwe Great Britain
Canada Australia
New Zealand Germany Norway†Paula Newby Fraser was a citizen and represented the United States for the 1996 race.
‡The 2021 World Championship was held inSt. George, Utah on May 7, 2022. The delay and change from the originalKona, Hawaii venue were due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
Until 2015, individuals could enter a lottery for the chance to participate in the Ironman World Championship. The lottery entry fee was $50 and afforded the chance to win one of 100 berths in the championship race. If selected the winners then had to pay the normal entry fee.[15]
However, according to a sworn complaint filed with theU.S. District Court inTampa, Florida, Ironman illegally charged athletes for a chance to win the opportunity to compete in the Ironman World Championship.[16][17] According to Florida law, the state where the World Triathlon Corporation resides, it is illegal to set up and charge for alottery.[18] Because WTC charged a $50 fee to enter the lottery, instead of giving away the opportunity to win a slot at the championships, they were in violation of this law.[19] Following the complaint WTC cooperated with the United States Attorneys office and the FBI's investigation of the matter and agreed to forfeit $2,761,910, the amount collected from the lottery since October 24, 2012.[16][20] The attorney representing the United States in the matter was 8-time Ironman finisher James A. Muench.[21]
Winners of the 2015 lottery were notified on March 17, 2015, prior to the announcement of the complaint.[17] WTC stated that these winners would be unaffected by this decision and that their slots for the upcoming championship race would be honored.[22]
