Occasionally go into IMJ but it’s just a shadow of its former self.
1 Like
If I was head of Ironman…
Ironman’s contract with Nice is coming to an end next year. 2026 is an opportunity to refresh. The decision to go to the Split Kona / Nice schedule was rushed - IM thought that it had an agreement with Kona, locals revolted and agreement with never finalised. As a result IM had to come up with a solution quickly, and the result was the Alternating Nice/Kona, split men and women. Largely I think that it has been as success, however, some bits haven’t worked well
What has gone well:
Like many, I have been glued to the livestream watching both the men’s and women’s race. In the past, the Pro womens race was a bit of a sideshow. I know many of the AG ladies also like their own race, however, this is not universal
Kona suits a very specific athlete, I love Lange’s win this year, but equally loved Laidlow’s win last year, different course throw up different winners
Kona was eye wateringly expensive, a race in Europe means, at least for Europeans, that costs are roughly halved. Even for US competitors, Nice is a lot cheaper event than Kona
A World Champs in Europe has been an opportunity to showcase the world’s top level triathlon to a wider audience.
What has not gone well
By all accounts, the womens race has not been terribly profitable: ultimately IM is accountable to its shareholders, and generating profit is the objective.
There are quite a few couples who qualify, racing in separate locations is a real pain
Some people will say that it’s now too easy to qualify, which devalues the concept that only the best get to race (Personally I do not agree, however, I read ST)
Kona is part of IM heritage and intrinsically linked to the brand value, this has been devalued as a result
So what would I do next.
Going back to a single event in Kona wouldn’t even be on the table. Kona is now part of Ironman history and not the future.
Kona would remain an annual race. Qualification would be via UTMB style points system - points could be generated at IM, 70.3 and even UTMB races. It would keep Kona as an exclusive race, and IM would earn a ton of money as people do more races to earn points. Numbers going to Kona would be limited, which would please locals. Kona is also a regular pro race with regular prize money - many will attend just to be crowned the Kona champion.
Rotating World Championship race for men and women in the same venue. One race Friday, one race Sunday alternating men and women. A Saturday and Sunday race could be possible, however, venue would need to be big enough to accomodate 4000 bikes in transition as bike&bag checkin for all would be on Friday - a venue like Cascais would be ideal where Transition for the 70.3 is in a different location to transition for the IM.
WC venues need to be able to handle and accomodate 4000+ athletes and supporters, courses need to be great, ideally a nearby international airport. It needs to be outside the main tourist season, but still warm enough for comfortable race. Likely venues in Europe, Nice, Cascais, Lanza (can Lanza do 4000 athetes?), Barcelona. US is a PITA because no Sunday races, makes split format difficult. Would be good to see some Asia and Africa WC venues
4 Likes
FWIW, the recent WT Grand Finals in Torremolinos coped with that many athletes. Place has loads of hotels and close to Marbella (more hotels) plus a big international airport. Bike and run course would need designing as WT event was short course but sea swim would be fine. Spain are very accomodating to major international triathlon events (plus FETRI are superb event organisers)
3 Likes
I wonder if Kona would accomodate a Thursday/Sunday race schedule if it was, say, once every 4 years. So 1 year of chaos which they could plan for then 3 years ‘off’ while it rotates elsewhere. Or even a Saturday/following Saturday schedule.
1 Like
I wonder if Kona would survive as an ordinary IM even with UTMB points style entry.
The cost, remoteness etc - it’s a week long trip for US folk, 10-14 days for rest of world and, what 12-15k.
I’m not sure that would fly when the actual WC is elsewhere. Any AGer who’s done the WC in Kona wouldn’t go back.
4 Likes
I fully get doing Kona once - I don’t really understand why someone would go back, WC or no WC
I think that by doing it as a points style entry, it would create a draw, its not just a race that you can turn up. I also think that it would still attract a decent pro entry. Many pro’s would still love to be crowned Kona champion. Its a sort of halfway house, no longer the pinacle of Ironman, but above the non WC events
And if Kona disappears because it is not financially viable it would be sad, but also a reflection of its lack of importance. I don’t think that this is likely to happen
1 Like
My old coach went there over 20 times!
1 Like
I’d only pay for Kona if it was a WC race, no way I would go if it was effectively the AWA route and accumulate points to race there. Not that I have but I do think it’s a bit easier to qualify now though. Used to be just a couple/few slots per AG - you’ve got a good shot now if you’re in or around the top ten now and have deep pockets.
Maybe if there was a big pot of cash the pros would be keen
2 Likes
I watched both Nice and Kona from start to (pro) finish this year. I thought the Nice run course going back and forth was pretty dull (and I’ve run it myself back in 2014). The Kona course can be seen as dull as well, but at least it’s just a single lap (although on ProTriNews this week they did mention the idea briefly of if Kona moved to a lapped run route up and down Ali’i Drive - thus allowing cars full access to the Queen K much earlier) this might help with some of the locals who get frustrated.
Maybe I follow more male athletes on socials but the build up to Kona seems so much more than Nice. Maybe as it’s a well established World Championship race I dunno - just the allure of the place works for me. The weather seems nicer, the whole town turns into a mini Ironman city etc. Nice just turns the promenade into Ironman from when I was there (albeit not a WC and 10 years ago).
Kona just still has the prestige. Sam won in Nice last year - but to me that didn’t seem the same as if he’d crossed the line first in Hawaii. Likewise with St. George the other year - that felt like it was just squeezed in to get a world championship event completed.
There’s a few thoughts on what could happen in this newsletter - #111: Will Ironman go back to a one-day World Championship?. Oh, and Tim Heming has his thoughts as well at 220 Triathlon.
“But whatever happens, the only certainty is that everyone will have an opinion on it and not everyone will agree.”
5 Likes
As a sport, Triathlon is on the far side of the bell curve. That’s a reality.
Being ‘off peak’ didn’t stop me and thousands of others starting the sport, but the Ironman corporation need to be aware that big numbers is no longer a shoe-in they were in the growth years. Matt noted that the female event is not a roaring financial success for IM, and the evidence I’ve seen is that they struggle to fill all WC slots these days, and the female field is becoming increasingly diluted.
At some point in the future, I think the reality will be back to M&F races on the same day; or at a venue that can do 2 days on the trot like a WT Std Dist Championships.
10 Likes
I also think that the various “new” formats that WT are doing (mixed relays, T100, Superleague, aquabike etc) are keeping interest going for many
2 Likes
I still think it should be along these lines, 5 continental races and the main event is rotated between them, you QF for a continental in next 2 years and you must QF for the worlds at a Continental in that year. This means Kona could be on every year as a N.Am Continental Champs (or that could be elsewhere in the US), but a WC event every 5 years
1 Like
I don’t think Americans would fancy the NA Champs being in Hawaii every year!
1 Like
No that’s why it could move around the US, keeps Kona special for that once every 5 year hit
1 Like
I reckon the large majority of pros would rather see WC move around, and don’t really care about Kona. I also don’t see or expect the <35 year old age groupers particularly care about Kona either.
If it moved, then so long as they got great destinations with well organised events everyone would have forgotten how sacrilegious it was to move out.
And then all aboard the hype train when it does rotate back round to Kona, *if the locals are willing to have M/F two races across 3-4 days every 5-10 years.
@Matthew_Spooner I think your points qualification system for Kona might bring some extra money for a few years as people who haven’t been want to go, but would quickly die out. There can’t be many people from outside USA that would pay to go more than once if they truly bought into the legacy of the place. And even for Americans it’s still difficult and expensive.
If people have the money to burn then go to Cairns, New Zealand, or countless other better destination races.
6 Likes
I know he was just filling air time with idle chatter, but I think it was Frodo who postulated that there were so many detonations on the run, and yet very few DNFs, because it was Kona and you only get the chance every 2 years. The pros were prepared to risk more to bag a Kona WC win, and respected the race more to not DNF when it went south.
The implication being, not the same all or nothing approach to Nice, and more willing to pull the plug and wait for another year.
7 Likes
Perhaps, perhaps that’s just hype for commentary. Maybe reflective of Jan being a little older than most current pros and more bought into the history.
Either way give it 3-5 years without Kona and I don’t think the sport would be any worse off if they booked the right places for WC.
5 Likes
If IM was starting from scratch & looking for a place that met all the Spooner criteria, Qatar would tick the boxes.
Has great infrastructure and transport links, great off season weather, fast smooth roads which can be easily closed.
Over 3 million people visited to watch the footy in 2022, so a few thousand tri types would be a drop in the ocean.
Bit of a trek from North America & wouldn’t suit the climbers mind.
5 Likes
It’s also a country lots of people won’t visit, which is less of the case with the US, and until the Trump years, only a tiny minority wouldn’t.
The Drugs and Alcohol laws would rule it out if you ask me.
4 Likes
Wouldn’t have a problem suppressing local discontent about road closures though.
6 Likes