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Ironman World Championships - Kona Anyone?
Saturday Oct 11, 2008 7:00 am to 11:55 pm
Location: Rossland, BC
About the Race
Ironman World Championship
Distance:
2.4 mi. swim • 112 mi. bike • 26.2 mi. run
Race Director:
Diana Bertsch
Ironman
74-5599 Alapa Street #1
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Phone: 808 329 0063
Fax: 808 326 2131
Email: kona@ironman.com
Quick Links:
• IRONStuff Newsletter (2007)
• Athlete Information Guide (2007)
• Course Maps
To get to the starting line in Kona, you must either be very lucky and get yourself a spot through the lottery, or very talented, and win yourself a qualifying spot at one of the qualifying events held around the world.
Tens-of-thousands of triathletes try to get one of those coveted Ironman spots every year. Only 1,700 succeeded.
That means 1,800 "lucky" people get to test themselves on one of the biggest challenges the sports world has to offer ... 2.4-miles of swimming, 112-miles of biking, and a 26.2-mile marathon run through tough ocean waves, and challenging lava-covered terrain.
While there are thousands of triathlons around the world, it is this one that truly defines the sport. It all began at an Awards Ceremony for a relay running race in Honolulu in 1977. A group of local athletes discussed the idea of an endurance triathlon and combining three major events that already existed on the island. John Collins suggested combining them and making it a single-day event. Later that evening, Collins took the stage announcing the event and that "whoever finishes first, we will call him the IRONMAN." It has since become triathlon's Super Bowl, Wimbledon, World Series, World Cup, and Tour de France all rolled into one. What makes this event so unique is that "average" people get to compete alongside the best in the world.
Contact: Diana Bertsch kona@ironman.com
Website: ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship
This post appears in: High Altitude Triathlon Club and to the public
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