Kona has the last laugh

It was on the island of Oahu that the legend of the Ironman was born. A group of marines and local athletes were debating who had the most physical endurance - swimmer, cyclist, or runner. So they proposed an experiment: bring together the three events already in existence, the 3.8km Waikiki Roughwater Swim, the 180km Around Oahu Bike Race and the Honolulu marathon, and complete all three back to back. Fifteen men accepted the challenge; only twelve crossed the finish line. Three years later, in 1981, Kona became the site for the ultimate test every triathlete dreamed of completing.

It’s another year, and finally, it’s time for the women to come together behind the starting line - a bunch of big athletes with even bigger dreams. There’s something different about the sunrise in Kailua Bay when the ocean awakens amid fiery rays of light and athletes who feel something vibrating beneath their feet. The Hawaiians call it mana; the energy that connects all living things. It’s the island’s spirit, and must be respected. The Goddess, Pele, guardian of fire and volcanoes, oversees the event from the depths of Kīlauea. Some leave flowers, others a stone or a word of gratitude, not out of superstition, but respect, as here, nature isn’t the stage - it’s the judge.

The competition reminds us of the huge challenges posed by long distance events. Every decision counts and you can never take anything for granted.

To have a chance of winning, you’ve got to put in a strong swim, and it’s in the water that the first big gaps in the race appear. Lucy Charles-Barclay, loyal to her style, led the water stage with a spectacular performance and a mechanical elegance only she possesses, leaving the water in under 50 minutes. 

The protagonists of the day sped through T1 alongside their common enemies: the wind, heat and the miles awaiting them. On the Queen K, the wind strips the athletes’ souls bare, leaving them no place to hide. The pace picked up ferociously here but the plot remained unchanged, with Knibb and Løvseth on Lucy’s tail.

Yet again, the island brings its drama. The contenders relentlessly paved their way towards the throne until they had nothing left to give. The Kona marathon doesn’t reward the strongest or the fastest - it rewards those who understand themselves and connect with their essence. Lucy was forced to abandon the half marathon due to the heat; Taylor’s body decided enough was enough and collapsed with just a few miles to go; Løvseth, however, stayed strong, but with Kat Matthews close behind, finishing the race just 35 seconds ahead of her. “It’s never over”, her husband cheered. “You’ve just got to survive yourself.” The podium was finally completed by Laura Philipp, 2024 champion in Nice and this year, the only one who managed to stay in the top 3.

Kona always has the last laugh.