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Europe dominates Ironman World Championship age-group racing again with 11 Kona titles

Only one North American age-grouper topped the podium in Kona this year

Photo by: Ironman

It was the men’s turn to compete at the Ironman World Championship and more than 2,400 athletes from 85 different countries were on hand to compete on the Big Island of Hawaii. Just like at the women’s worlds in Nice last month, Europeans dominated the age-group racing, taking 11 of the 14 categories. (Photo above: Mike Schifferle from Luzern, Switzerland won the 50 to 54 age group.)

 

Europeans top the list of age group champions crowned at Ironman World Championship Nice

Germany, Denmark and Switzerland were the only countries with two champions. China continued its run of world championship performances in 2024 as Miao Hao won the 35 to 39 category in Kona – in September Yixuan Chen took the 18 to 24 category.

Miao Hao won the 35 to 39 age group. Photo: Ironman

Three countries that have traditionally enjoyed age group success, Canada, Australia and New Zealand were shut out from the top spots on the podium this year, too.

Japan’s Hiroshi Nakata won the 80 to 84 category in Kona. Photo: Ironman

Here’s a list of the 14 different category winners from Saturday’s race.

Division  First Name  Last Name  City, State, Country  Country representing  Time 
M18-24 Frederik Wester Denmark DNK (Denmark) 8:34:15
M25-29 Nicola Christiaens Belgium BEL (Belgium) 8:34:39
M30-34 Timmo Jeret Estonia EST (Estonia) 8:27:01
M35-39 Miao Hao China CHN (China) 8:30:10
M40-44 Christian Haupt Hemmingen, Germany DEU (Germany) 8:46:09
M45-49 Donald Brooks Devon, Great Britain GBR (Great Britain) 8:34:56
M50-54 Mike Schifferle Luzern, Switzerland CHE(Switzerland) 9:53:16
M55-59 Lennie Lange Kristensen Denmark DNK (Denmark) 9:30:25
M60-64 Adrian Santonastaso Switzerland CHE (Switzerland) 9:53:16
M65-69 Herman Scheiring Germany DEU(Germany) 10:33:11
M70-74 Arthur Halttunen St Petersburg, Florida, USA USA (United States) 12:27:19
M75-79 Marek Musial Poland POL (Poland) 14:45:46
M80-84 Hiroshi Nakata Japan JPN (Japan) 15:59:08
HC Jan Tomanek Czech Republic CZE (Czech Republic) 12:15:11
Jan Tomanek from the Czech Republic won the Handcycle category. Photo: Ironman

You can find the full results from Saturday’s race here.