IronMan is surf life saving - https://ironseries.com.au/

You might be talking about Ironman.

of the latter. Ironman is a business trying to make profit. Not make selfish people happy for 4 days a year.

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it doesnt matter what you say, someone on here will pick a fight over it.

Not any more.... PERIOD

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http://www.sfuelsgolonger.com

So the first couple editions don't count?

fixed for ya!

Fishbum, I'm with ya, bro.

There's Kona, and there's everything else.

-bobo

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"What's good for me ain't necessarily good for the weak-minded."

Try to convince the locals...

Kona feels big because they made it big. People outside of the triathlon niche know about it because they market it and televise it, to the general public. Who's to say some other place or championship tradition couldn't become just as big and treasured (worshiped?) as Kona if all of the marketing hype and energy are put toward the new thing? Triathlon is a relatively new sport, after all. Nothing is so entrenched it's unchangeable.

Ask these same people if they care that it's not in Kona anymore

Is the main benefit of racing a WC in Hawaii to impress strangers because they've "heard of that one"? Lol

Doesn't matter anyway. Kona-diehards will still be able to do it every other year while the rest get to enjoy some new scenery the other years.

This 100% !!
The unspoken part of the "it's not a WC if it is not in Kona" argument is that the only thing these people care about is impressing others. They may not say it outright or even know it, but they are the self absorbed, egotistical triathlon crowd that gives triathlete a bad reputation.
(unfortunately it also encompasses the vast majority of us for one reason or another)
All they care about is being able to tell people "I raced Kona" it doesn't matter if it was spot 89 of a roll down or off a legacy or whatever they want to be associated with this race so they can pump their own ego.

The thing they don't realize because they are so caught up in their own BS is that NO ONE CARES!
No one cares about what we do in a triathlon or in training
No one cares this race is or was in Kona
No one outside of our world cares about Blumenfelt or Jan or any other pro.

Because it just isn't important. It is a hobby for 99.99% of the triathletes and I don't go into work telling people proudly about my other hobbies because no one gives a rats ass.

Sad to say you hit the nail on the head there

I completely wish it wasn't true. Buy it is the unfortunate reality of where our sport is.

Hopefully this shift creates a more healthy relationship/population in the sport in general

Although this is sadly harsh, I'd probably agree but also I'll add a different perspective that posts in other threads have alluded to...

Kona is famous in America. Not because it's the world champs but because it's the Ironman that's on tv. I'd say lots of people who know Kona don't know it's the world champs, and probably don't know that there's many others.

As someone on NZ who has only done Taupo and Busselton, the only non-triathlete who has mentioned 'Hawaii' to me was a US guy, didn't know much about triathlon, thought it was cool I'd done an Ironman (didn't know the distances of an Ironman but knew it was a long triathlon) in Taupo. Thought it was a cool sport because there are destination races like Hawaii. Didn't care I hadn't done it, didn't know it was the world champs, just the only other one he knew and Hawaii is a cool place. He thought you could just sign up for it and go. I think this probably represents most people who know the Ironman in Hawaii, but don't really know triathlon. The people all these 'kona is home' arguments refer to.

And what exactly makes your opinion so weighty as to warrant opening another thread in the subject?

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"FTP is a bit 2015, don't you think?" - Gustav Iden

Kind of stereotyping....

Lots of us have watched the sport for 30+ years, and its just ingrained in us that Kona is the real show.
Its not about bragging to other people about it (OK, maybe for -some- a-holes...), it's just about being able to go experience the big show, be there in person for the excitement. Most people who go to Kona wont actually be 'competitive' in any way, its just the experience.

Going to St George, or Nice, just feels like a consolation prize. Yes it might be still labelled a WC, but again, most people aren't going to these races to be competitive at a WC level.

Anyway, with Mauna Loa erupting now, maybe there will be no Kona in '23 anyway, and we can all find a way to blame WTC for that one too..............."Why didn't Andrew realize a volcano might erupt there!!? And why isn't WTC giving me money for the non-refundable booking I made at 'Grandma Lee's Airbnb' and my air travel I booked on 'DiscountTravelRus.com'?!?!?

People only run Boston to impress people as well?

?? I never said that, and do not agree with that either.

Thank you for typing it out so I don't have to. Who cares what other people know about or think? I do races that intrigue me, in locations I want to go, and courses and conditions that I like (mostly...I still throw in hot and/or hilly races so I don't get too soft). I don't care if my coworkers know anything about whatever races I'm doing. Just like I don't have much interest in their woodworking except that it makes them happy.

That's a pretty broad brush you're painting with. I've met a few of those people, but I think they encompass a really small percentage of the total. I think I've met more people that are humble and reluctant to talk about it unless asked.

Ironman = Kona, why not

Ironman WC = Kona I cannot understand why.

Make Kona a normal race, anyone with the $$$ can do it, make the WC change location to allow less privileged (but strong athlete) race Ironman Worldcup in the location they prefer.

Roth is famous (label of the race does not mater, challenge or not),
Kona is famous, world champ or not IM or not.

OK...

1. People don't care about going to Kona just to go to Hawaii. Its specifically to go there for the big show. Not sure why that is so hard to understand.

2. People generally don't care about going to a race -just because- it is labelled as a WC -- keeping in mind they are really only 'WC' races for the pros, everyone else there is just participating. Look at St George.....notice how most people wanted to defer to the next Kona if possible?? How do you think KB feels about winning at St George instead of Kona??? Look at the 70.3 Worlds races.....they often can't give away the slots for these races.

Its the historic location combined with the hype around the event. Its not about bragging, its a huge bucket list experience for most folks.

LMFTFY: "People outside of the triathlon niche know about it because they ask about the weird m-dot tattoos on calves and because triathlon people love to talk about their triathlon to non triathlon people."

If confused, see rule 1 of crossfit and replace "crossfit" with "triathlon".

Even if the WC eventually moves away, you could still do the race that strangers have heard of. Might even be easier to get in. :)

Not to interrupt the regularly scheduled hand wringing, but it's "moot point" not "mute point".