Kona Coverage: First at the Hoala swim? Guess who
A record-sized field took part in today's Kona practice swim
Photo by: Kevin MackinnonLucy Charles-Barclay came very close to making it to the London Olympics as a teenager in 2012 as an open water swimmer, so it comes as no surprise that she regularly dominates the swim at Ironman events. (It’s not like Charles-Barclay is a slouch when it comes to biking and running, either – she’s finished second here the last four times the Ironman World Championship has been held in Kona.)
The Hoala Practice Swim has become a tradition here in Kona, and it’s also a regular occurrence to see Charles-Barclay lead the way. So, while today’s swim included some dramatic changes including a record-sized field of 1,100 registrants, a pro wave and a rolling start, there were no surprises in terms of the first out of the water. We’ll recap the morning in words and pictures: