It is a spectacle and a myth: the Ironman in Hawaii. It’s that time again on Saturday, when the women will determine their world champion in the long distance triathlon. Two Germans have good chances.
The evening before the big race, Anne Haug will grab a pen and paper again to write down a few things that she definitely doesn’t want to forget the next morning. Things like “fill up your water bottles” or “eat oatmeal.” What sounds quite simple at first glance is of great importance to Haug. It gives her a feeling of security on a day when not much else can be planned. It is their path to perfection in a competition that actually excludes perfection.
Too much happens in the eight-plus hours of an Ironman. Finally, 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling and then a complete marathon have to be completed (on October 14th from 6:15 p.m. in the live stream on sportschau.de). The athletes walk through the troughs of their minds and their bodies, they struggle with the tough conditions – especially in the tropics in Hawaii. To win here, Haug says, “The Hawaiian gods must have mercy on you”.
Haug relies on running strength
And Haug knows what she’s talking about. She was crowned Queen of Kona here in 2019, and the 40-year-old has always been on the podium at the last four World Championships. This time too, Haug is once again one of the first contenders for victory. As always with her, in the end it will come down to the marathon. On the running track, Haug is the best of the best. Even if you are a long way behind after the first two disciplines, you shouldn’t write them off.
To repeat the success of 2019, she needs perfect preparation, first in her training home of Lanzarote, then in Hawaii. It’s seven in the morning and Anne Haug has found a small swimming pool in Kona where she can train a few more units during the race week. Haug has to hurry, the aqua fitness course starts at eight o’clock with ten fit pensioners in the water. Every day. Even a world champion is powerless against this. “Can not do anything about it”says Haug. Swimming goggles on. Into the pool. Of course it’s not perfect for staying in the picture. But triathletes are used to adversity.
Philipp doesn’t want to leave anything to chance
Change of location. Get out of Kona’s small city center and up the volcano slope. Palm trees, flowers, a little jungle everywhere. Up here, with a perfect view of the city and the blue Pacific, Laura invited Philipp to the press conference. After Haug, the 36-year-old is the second German to be one of the favorites on Saturday.
Perfection is also an issue here. Philipp, who came fourth twice in Hawaii, has been here for three weeks. Has gotten used to the climate on the neighboring island of Maui, overcome jet lag, and constantly monitors his core body temperature. Just leave nothing to chance. He’ll strike soon enough. Like last year, when Philipp received a five-minute time penalty on his bike – for allegedly slipstreaming. There are no video recordings of it, the punishment is highly controversial, and the podium is gone. “I had to nibble on that for a long time,” says Philip.
Philipp finally wants to be on the podium – and more
This time it should finally work out with a World Cup medal, but the competition is fierce, up to seven women are eligible for victory, and even more for the podium. Everything seems possible at a World Cup that, for the first time, belongs entirely to women. Because the organizer came up with a rotation principle of the World Cup locations, the men were already in Nice four weeks ago; this year only the women are experiencing the myth of Hawaii.
A myth mainly because no one who starts knows what the day will bring. Swimming in the Pacific can be beastly, waves can pile up meters high. When cycling through the lava desert, there is a risk of gusty winds that are so strong that many an amateur athlete has had to dismount. And then the marathon, in sweltering heat and extreme humidity. “In Paradise”says Philip, “You have to go through hell.” There is no such thing as perfection. Unless the gods of Hawaii want it that way.