Ironman survey signals change to Ironman World Championships

The Ironman corporation is surveying selected individuals to inform its decision about the future of the Ironman World Championships.

Athletes, media and other stakeholders are asked to answer questions about the event’s format and location. The decision could influence the venue and timing of future world championships. The contract for its Nice, France venue is set to renew in 2026. Meanwhile, Kona has a new mayor with a different vision than his predecessor.

The previous mayor of Kona held that two days of racing was too much for the local community to manage. The current mayor seems more amenable to the return of more racing. Nice’s mayor also spoke to the desire of continue to host the event beyond 2026.

Options for the future

Key questions center around options including continuing with separate race days for men and women back in Kona or either a single or double day of racings at rotating locations.

Besides maintaining the status quo with rotating men and women’s races in Kona, Hawaii and Nice, France, the final option is to go back to its roots with a single day in Kona. Returning to one day for both men and women in Kona would most likely mean a reduced number of championship slots.

“As we look to the long-term future of the IRONMAN World Championship, we are committed to listening to and learning from our community inclusive of a broad group of stakeholders,” a letter from Ironman to those surveyed states. “In this spirit, we would like your input as a valued member of our IRONMAN `ohana. Your feedback will form part of the ongoing inputs we will continue to collect as we envision the long-term future of the IRONMAN World Championship.”

Possible impacts of change

The various options impact the triathlon community in different ways. A return to its origins with a single day of racing in Kona would reduce athlete’s chances of securing a coveted spot. However, some view this as a benefit, restoring the competitiveness of the race. Others point out the fairness to competition a venue other than Kona plays to different racing strengths.

Two days of racing and split venues offers more focused media coverage of the male and female events. It is also potentially cost prohibited for smaller media companies to attend compared with a single annual event.

History and lore of Kona

The Kona venue is so embedded in the history and lore of Ironman that logic and finances don’t always trump reasoning for a lot of the triathlon community. Racing in the backdrop of where it became a legend, often alongside family and friends of the opposite sex, and in the spotlight of exclusivity is the driving desire for many.

With Ironman’s appointment of new CEO Scott Derue a year ago, the survey also signals a potential new leadership vision. The generally unpopular choice to split up the championships into rotating venues between Kona and Nice by past CEO Andrew Messick has been a sticking point for the triathlon community ever since.

Race day in Kona was first split in 2022. The following year initiated the current rotating male and female venues in the alternate locations of Nice and Kona.