2022 Ironman World Championship in Kona: Everything You Need to Know

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Ironman Kona

Ironman Kona. The most iconic name among triathletes either long or short course.

If you’re new or a veteran, you’re familiar with the name and know the significance of Ironman Kona.

You’d understand how hard triathletes, pro or age-group, worked to get to the start line. And, the countless hours spent training and possibly recovering from injuries.

Every year, you watch the race and maybe even have a couple of friends or acquaintances that make it to the race. Or, you follow certain pro triathletes as they document their journeys on social media.

But, what is it really like to be a Kona?

And when does the cost entail?

And, who qualified?

We’ll fill you in on the details here whether you’re dreaming of making it to the start line or just want to appreciate the race and what the athletes endure during race day.

When is IRONMAN Kona 2022

Ironman Kona happens on October 6 & 8 in 2022. Typically, it occurs the first weekend of October every year.

In 2023, however, the Ironman Kona will be held on October 12 & 14.

Where is the Ironman Kona 2022

The Ironman World Championships is located on the west coast of the island of Hawaii in Kailua-Kona.

Every year, the island welcomes thousands of triathletes from around the world. The town becomes the training ground for all those who come early to check out the course, acclimate to the weather conditions, and want to meet other triathletes before the competition begins.

Ironman Kona Course

The Ironman Kona World Championship race is the standard full Ironman distance. It starts with a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike, and ends with a 26.2-mile marathon.

Ironman Kona Swim Course

Ironman Kona Swim Course

The swim part of the course takes place in Kailua Bay. The course is one loop with two turns in the middle.

The course cuts the swimmer off after 2 hours and 20 minutes from an athlete’s designated swim time.

Ironman Kona Bike Course

Ironman Kona Bike Course

The Ironman Kona bike course is a single 112 miles mile look with about 5800 feet of elevation. The triathletes bike right to Hawi, make a U-turn and then head back to transition in Kailua-Kona. The course is most famous for its crosswinds and rolling hills.

The Ironman Kona bike cut-off time is 2 hours and 20 minutes after an athlete’s designated start time. This includes time in transition.

Ironman Kona Run Course

Ironman Kona Run Course

The 26.2-mile run is also a single-loop course that has rolling hills. The run course is most famous for its extreme temperatures. The triathletes run until the energy lab and then back to the finish line in the Kailua-Kona. The energy lab part of the course is the hottest part of the course. The elevation is about 1000 feet.

The run cut-off time is 17 hours after the designated wave starts time.

Who Can participate

The professional triathletes can qualify for Kona in one of the following ways:

  • Winning the Ironman World Championship will allow them one spot that is valid for 5 years
  • Winning the previous 70.3 World Championship
  • Finishing on the podium of the previous Ironman World Championship
  • Earning a spot through one of the Ironman World Championship qualifying races.

If the athlete isn’t a professional, there are several ways to qualify for a slot:
How to qualify for Ironman Kona.

Ironman Kona Pro Men Start List

BIBNAMECOUNTRY
M1Kristian BlummenfeltNOR
M2Lionel SandersCAN
M3Braden CurrieNZL
M4Chris LeifermanUSA
M5Florian AngertGER
M6Patrick LangeGER
M7Sebastian KienleGER
M8Gustav IdenNOR
M9Tim O’DonnellUSA
M10Ben HoffmanUSA
M11Cameron WurfAUS
M12Leon ChevalierFRA
M14Daniel BækkegårdDEN
M15Sam LaidlowFRA
M16David McNameeGBR
M17Joe SkipperGBR
M19Rudy Von BergUSA
M20Matt HansonUSA
M21Denis ChevrotFRA
M22Reinaldo ColucciBRA
M23Max NeumannAUS
M25Collin ChartierUSA
M26Kyle BuckinghamRSA
M27Tim Van BerkelAUS
M28Nick KasteleinAUS
M29Jan Van BerkelSUI
M30Kenneth VandendriesscheBEL
M31Ivan TutukinKAZ
M32Magnus DitlevDEN
M33Bradley WeissRSA
M34Kyle SmithNZL
M35Pieter HeemeryckBEL
M36Kristian HogenhaugDEN
M37Sam AppletonAUS
M38Clement MignonFRA
M39Jesper SvenssonSWE
M40Andre LopesBRA
M41Matt TrautmanRSA
M42Robert WilkowieckiPOL
M43Robert KallinSWE
M44Mathias PetersonDEN
M45Michael WeissAUT
M47Luciano TacconeARG
M48Arnaud GuillouxFRA
M49Josh AmbergerAUS
M50Maurice ClavelGER
M51Igor AmorelliBRA
M52Henrik GoeschFIN
M53Andreas DreitzGER
M54Matt BurtonAUS
M55David PleseSVN

Ironman Kona Pro Women Start List

BIBNAMECOUNTRY
F1Daniela RyfSUI
F3Anne HaugGER
F4Skye MoenchUSA
F5Ruth AstleGBR
F6Lucy Charles-BarclayGBR
F7Sarah CrowleyAUS
F8Laura PhilippGER
F9Heather JacksonUSA
F10Lisa NordenSWE
F11Laura SiddallGBR
F12Fenella LangridgeGBR
F14Gurutze Frades LarraldeESP
F15Maja Stage-NielsenDEN
F17Sarah TRUEUSA
F18Jocelyn McCauleyUSA
F19Daniela BleymehlGER
F20Sara SvenskSWE
F21Pamella OliveiraBRA
F22Haley ChuraUSA
F23Simone MitchellGBR
F24Chelsea SodaroUSA
F25Laura ZimmermannGER
F26Manon GenetFRA
F28Rebecca ClarkeNZL
F29Justine MathieuxFRA
F30Lauren BrandonUSA
F31Elisabetta CurridoriITA
F32Joanna RyterSUI
F33Rachel ZilinskasUSA
F35Renee KileyAUS
F36Jen AnnettCAN
F37Heini HartikainenFIN
F38Kelly FillnowUSA
F39Kristin LiepoldGER
F40Elena IlleditschGER
F41Dimity-Lee DukeAUS
F43Chantal SainterGBR
F44Penny SlaterAUS
F46Kylie SimpsonAUS
F47Magda NieuwoudtRSA
F48Jodie RobertsonUSA
F49Jenny SchulzGER
F50Beatriz NeresBRA
F51Susie CheethamGBR
F52Kate BevilaquaAUS

How Much does it cost to do Ironman Kona

The entry alone cost about $1050 plus fees for this year. However, in 2023, the entry fee will cost $1400 plus fees.

Additional costs are flying to and from the island, shipping a bike and other equipment, accommodation, meals, any money for site seeing, and of course emergency money.

A plane ticket to the big island is cost dependent since athletes come from all over the world to compete. A ticket could cost anywhere between $500-1000 USD depending on where the athlete is flying from and what day they are leaving.

Shipping a bike on the plane is around $50-150 depending on the airline. And, some people will use Tri Bike Transport which will ship the bike for the athlete. That service can cost $500 and up.

So, all the athlete needs to do is drop off the bike at a partner location and then pick it up at the venue. After the race, drop off the bike at the Tri Bike Transport hub.

Accommodations can vary depending on location and if the athlete is sharing a rental with other athletes. Also will depend on how many days the athlete is planning to stay on the island.

Food and site seeing could is also dependent on the athlete and what they have planned before and after the race.

Generally, athletes can spend at least $4500 between the race fee, flying and shipping a bike, accommodation, food, and site seeing.

How Much Do Ironman Kona Winners Make

The prize money for Kona depends on where an athlete is placed. The top winner can earn up to $125,000 and the 15th place finisher can walk away with $3000. This is even between the genders.

PlacePrize
1st$125,000
2nd$65,000
3rd$45,000
4th$25,000
5th$20,000
6th$18,000
7th$15,000
8th$13,000
9th$12,000
10th$11,000
11th$8,000
12th$6,000
13th$5,000
14th$4,000
15th$3,000

Volunteer

Interested in being involved with the race but don’t want to race?

You can volunteer and the race directors are always looking for volunteers on the course and in the days leading up to the event.

You can find volunteer opportunities at Athlete Adi Stations on either race day. They need volunteers on the bike and run course. And there’s even a special station for Profluids.

If you’re a pro at fixing bikes, there’s a need for bike mechanics.

Great at reading maps and directing people?

There is a volunteer spot to be a bike course guide!

And, of course, the volunteers are needed for clean-up after the race is done as well.

The best bet is to go to the website and look at all the volunteer spots available since we cannot go through the entire list itself. There are too many to choose from!

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Ryan Jones

Ryan Jones is a USA Triathlon Level 1 Certified Coach, USA Cycling Level 3 Certified Coach. Since graduating college, Ryan has coached over sixty triathletes, runners, cyclists, and swimmers. He focuses on helping them select appropriate goals and guiding them towards achieving them.

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