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Kona Coverage: Ladies Day on the Queen K

Records fell and we saw the highest ever finishing percentage ... a great day at the Ironman World Championship and we have pictures to prove it

Photo by: Kevin Mackinnon
October 15, 2023
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It was an incredible day of racing here in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii as the first-ever women’s only Ironman World Championship took place in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It was a record-setting day on many levels as Lucy Charles-Barclay set a new course record (8:24:31), Anne Haug set a new marathon record (2:48:23) and we saw the highest single-day finishing rate for any Ironman World Championship as 2,039 of the 2,097 athletes who started the race came across the line.

The race also saw a record number of women break the nine-hour barrier, with 16 women achieving that mark on Saturday. Three American women – Adrienne Bunn (12:41:18), Lisa Cloutier (12:22:24) and Marlyne Stutzman (12:41:18) became the first known female athletes with autism to complete the Ironman World Championship. Bunn was also the youngest finisher in yesterday’s race.

Here’s a photo gallery from some of the age group racing at yesterday’s race.(Don’t worry, we have a finisher’s gallery coming, too!)

Getting ready for a tough day …
Sunscreen is a must when racing in Hawaii.
Time for a selfie with one of the amazing volunteers. Later there will be …
Beer at the finish!
The great Fernanda Keller finished her 27th Ironman World Championship in Kona yesterday. During her amazing career she finished in the top-10 14 times and was third on six different occasions.

That’s a lot of bikes …
Almost time to hit the water.
The athletes enjoyed almost perfect conditions with next-to-no wind out on the course.
Aussie Jennifer Zenker would finish in 10:01, fifth in the women’s 40 to 44 age group.
Silvia Birkle Duro from Granada finished in 10:50:57

Donna Kay-Ness would dominate the 60 to 64 age group, finishing in 10:57:10!
Go Canada!
Ellen Wexler from Bethesda finished in 10:39:06
Stephanie Clutterbuck from Great Britain competed as part of the Zwift Academy Triathlon Team. She finished in 10:25:15

Kona Age Group Excellence: Returning for redemption in the Energy Lab

Anna Edwards got to the finish line in 14:53:24
Valerie Dechesne finished in 13:25:37
Kristina Sendel on her way to a 10:01:11 finish
Another member of Zwift Academy team on the road.

Canadian Paulette Dalton would finish in 11:40:02.

Camaraderie during the marathon – there’s strength in numbers!

Gina Anixter finished in 11:42:57.