Here are the most important questions and answers about the Ironman in Hawaii, which will take place for the 40th time in the night from Saturday to Sunday (CET). The decision could fall between 3 and 4 o'clock.

What is the Ironman in Hawaii?

The Ironman World Championship in Hawaii is the oldest triathlon over the long distance. It consists of 3.86 kilometers of swimming, 180.2 kilometers of cycling and 42.195 kilometers of running. The first competition took place in 1978, since the mid-eighties are in addition to the professional triathletes and amateurs admitted, they can qualify for different age groups. How it works? More on that later.

What is special about Hawaii?

Strong currents while swimming, winds on the challenging 1500-meter-long bike route (no leeward driving) and sweltering heat during the marathon - the Ironman Hawaii is considered one of the toughest sports events. Here are the route maps:

photo gallery


3 pictures

Swimming, cycling, running: this is where the Ironman Hawaii takes place

At the first competition 40 years ago, back then in February, only 15 athletes took part. Curious: At that time there were no road closures for the race and so the athletes had to follow traffic rules. Today, everything is much more professional and bigger: This year around 2400 participants from 66 nations have qualified. Among them are 53 men and 39 women, who are registered for the professional race.

Frodeno's pain, Al-Sultan's cheers

May we introduce: Patrick Lange, last year's winner at the Ironman in Hawaii. The triathlete celebrated his long-distance debut in 2016 and finished third in his first Hawaii race. In 2017 followed the victory in track best time of 8:01:40 hours.

These distances must be covered by the participants. The prelude, swimming: 3.86 kilometers. In Hawaii, swimming in the open sea.

It follows: cycling over 180.2 kilometers. Particularly difficult in Hawaii, as slipstreaming is prohibited.

The graduation takes place on the running track, through the blazing sun in the heat of up to 30 degrees. Those who finish first after the marathon (42.195 kilometers) win the Ironman. The last one succeeded the 32-year-old Lange. It was the fourth success of a German in a row.

One of Lang's predecessors: Jan Frodeno. The Olympic champion of 2008 won 2015 (photo) and 2016 in Hawaii.

Last year's drama: Frodeno's body went on strike, he struggled painfully to the finish, and came one hour behind his personal best. Frodeno is missing this year, he has a stress fracture and is injured. At the end of his career, the 37-year-old but not yet think.

He is one of the title candidates this year and already won the Ironman in Hawaii in 2014, the talk is by Sebastian Kienle. He himself says before the race on Saturday (decision in the night on Sunday between 3 and 4 clock), he was in the shape of his life.

The women's winner: Daniela Ryf from Switzerland won the last three Ironman races in Hawaii. With 8:46:46 hours (2016), Ryf is also the fastest track time for women in Hawaii.

Nina Kraft is to date the most successful German triathlete in Hawaii. She finished second in 2002. This year, German success among women is unlikely.

Norman Stadler was the second German Ironman winner in Hawaii after Thomas Hellriegel (1997). Stadler also won in 2006.

Another champion: Faris Al-Sultan won in Hawaii in 2005. The German was only 27 years old in his success, an exceptional talent, who ran marathon at the age of 16. Since 2015 Patrick Lange has been trained by Al-Sultan. Incidentally, Al-Sultan is the only under 30-year-old who has won the Hawaii race since 2000. Note: If you want to win the Ironman, you have to train for years and slowly prepare the body for the distances.

Long competitor: Lionel Sanders from Canada. Sanders came in second last year and finished just over two minutes after Lange, also with a strong overall time of 8:04:07.

Long competitor, Part 2: the ex-cyclist Cameron litter. The Australian rode the cycle track in record time last year (4:12:54 hours), but was nearly 40 minutes slower than Sieger Lange in the marathon. In the World Cup preparation litter has improved significantly while running. Should litter confirm the recent strong run-times now in Hawaii, he will land in the overall standings far ahead.

Comeback of the year: The British triathlon professional Tim Don traveled to Hawaii in October 2017 as a favorite and broke his neck on the spot in a training accident. Don survived, started rehabilitation with a so-called Halo, and ran the Boston Marathon just months after the life-threatening injury. In July, he celebrated his comeback at the Ironman in Hamburg, where he only got problems on the track from kilometer 15 onwards. Also in Hawaii, the 40-year-old will be there.

Lifting weights, training endurance: Gordon Haller was the first Ironman winner in 1978. The American finished 11:46:58 hours - more than half an hour ahead of second-placed John Dunbar (USA). At the first competition 40 years ago, back in February, only 15 athletes took part, and this year around 2400 participants from 66 nations qualified.

Who are the defending champions?

German triathlete Patrick Lange starts as defending champion. The 32-year-old won last year in a course record time in 8:01:39 hours. Lange is particularly strong in running and keeps the record on the marathon route of Hawaii, this is at 2:39:45 hours and comes from 2016. In conversation with the SPIEGEL Lange gave up before the defense title defense. He had trained well and took on the new role at the center during the season.

For the women, the Swiss and world number one Daniela Ryf wants to celebrate her fourth victory in a row. The 31-year-old also holds the Hawaii course record of currently 8:46:46 hours. A German success in the women did not succeed and is unlikely this year. The best result so far for the German triathletes was celebrated by Nina Kraft in second place in 2002.

All competitions, all winners, all times - click through our Ironman graphics.

Zoom:

Highlight:

Who are Long Counterparties?

From the German point of view, Sebastian Kienle can be expected, who, like Lange, could crown himself for the second time with the title of world champion. The 34-year-old won in 2014, and is above all a strong cyclist. Kienle seems in good form this season, winning the triathlon classic in Roth in early July with a time of 7:46:23. The world's best time on a triathlon long-distance track is maintained by Jan Frodeno with 7:35:39 hours (race in Roth, 2016).

Other victorious candidates in Hawaii: Last year's second Lionel Sanders from Canada, David McNamee (Great Britain) and the former professional cyclist Cameron litter. Especially a look at the race of litter should be worthwhile: The Australian rode last year the bike course in record time (4:12:54 hours), was in the marathon but almost 40 minutes slower than winner Lange. In the World Cup preparation litter has improved significantly while running. Should litter confirm the recent strong run-times now in Hawaii, he will land in the overall standings far ahead.

Ironman Records

route m / w Record time Athlete / in country year
total w 8:46:46 Ryf Daniela Ryf SUI 2016
total m 8:01:40 Long Patrick Lange GER 2017
swim w 0:48:43 Jackson Jodi Jackson United States 1999
swim m 0:46:41 Jorgensen Lars Jorgensen United States 1998
bicycle w 4:44:19 Thürig Karin Thürig SUI 2011
bicycle m 4:12:54 Litter Cameron litter OUT 2017
To run w 2:50:38 Carfae Mirinda Carfae OUT 2013
To run m 2:39:45 Long Patrick Lange GER 2016

Source: Wikipedia; Ironman total = swimming (3.8 km) + bike (180.2 km) + running (42.195 km)

What about Jan Frodeno?

The two-time winner Frodeno fails after a stress fracture in the sacroiliac joint (hip). The 37-year-old dominated this season, winning the Ironman Frankfurt and the Ironman 70.3 World Cup (half-distance) in South Africa. Frodeno was considered one of the top favorites for the victory in Kona. Last year, the Olympic champion of 2008 had bad luck: Frodeno's body went on strike on the running track, he struggled with pain to the finish and arrived there one hour behind his personal best. Frodeno hopes to return to Hawaii next year.

fx_makesapicture

Jan Frodeno at the 2017 competition

Who should you pay attention to?

On Tim Don. In October 2017, the British triathlon professional traveled to Hawaii as a co-favorite and broke his neck during a training accident. Don survived, started rehabilitation with a so-called Halo, and ran the Boston Marathon just months after the life-threatening injury. In July, he celebrated his comeback at the Ironman in Hamburg, where he only got problems on the track from kilometer 15 onwards. Also in Hawaii, the 40-year-old will be there.

What is possible for Don? "I did not get the promise for Kona until very late, so I do not have much expectations in terms of my training condition, so if everything goes well then I can target the top 10 to 15," Don told SPIEGEL: "For me That's a great result, but first and foremost I'm happy to be back after injury. "

How do I qualify as a recreational athlete for Hawaii?

Amateurs can qualify for the Hawaii World Cup with a suitably good finish in any Ironman Series race. The problem: The level is also very high in the different age groups, the number of qualification slots is low. For example, for a Hawaii qualifier over the Ironman Copenhagen, four recreational athletes in the age group of 45 to 49 years have qualified, their times were between 8:55:24 and 9:12:27 hours - which is impressive. (If you want to know the requirements for your age group, check out the qualifying times for Hawaii from Copenhagen.)

By the way: Even if you can achieve such times athletically, the financial hurdle remains. Road bike, entry fees, travel to Hawaii - all that is expensive. The "Triathlon Magazine" estimates the total cost of a start in Hawaii at just under 20,000 euros. Again and again amateurs and professionals do not participate in Hawaii despite successful qualification for financial reasons.

Where can I track the Ironman?

The Ironman World Championships will be broadcast live on ZDF (from 6:30 pm) and in the program "SPORTextra" from 0 am. Alternatively, you can watch the race via the organizer's website (ironman.com), where you can also follow the split times of all athletes live.