For the first time, the women at the Ironman World Championships owned the island of Hawaii all to themselves. Many people think it wasn’t really worth it. World Cup bronze medalist Laura Philipp could even imagine eliminating the Hawaii myth completely.
Once a year, a state of emergency reigns in the small town of Kailua-Kona. Then the main thoroughfare, Alii Drive, is suddenly packed with runners and cyclists. Then the restaurants are busy. The harbor is cordoned off and covered with banners. There is never this much hustle and bustle here. Over 2,000 triathletes descend on the Pacific island for a week, along with their family, friends and companions. A real happening. The city is making a lot of money from the Ironman World Championships, if you can put it in flattering terms. Even rocked-down hotel rooms easily cost over 300 euros per night. In a less flattering way, one would call it a rip-off.
Two days in Kona are too much
You need to know all this to understand the big discussion that has gripped the triathlon world like a hurricane for almost a year. Because: Hawaii earns well from the invasion of athletes and their myth. But the locals are happy when peace returns afterwards. They vehemently reject two dates a year – one for men, one for women. And that brings us to the heart of the hurricane.
Because the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), which organizes the Ironman races globally, would like to have those two dates. In the past, men and women always took to the track at the same time on the same day, which is a good tradition in triathlon and defines the sport. Everyone is fighting the same battle. Everyone feels the same vibe. Men and women. Professionals and amateurs alike.
Of course it’s about money
But the WTC wants to pay more attention to women, or at least that’s what they say. And she wants to make more money. She doesn’t say that, but the calculation is logical. If women and men are separated, there are two starting fields. Instead of 2,500 participants, the whole thing times two. That’s a large sum given the exorbitantly high entry fees.
And because you can’t go to Hawaii twice, the WTC has decided to take men and women to different places. This year the men started in Nice in the south of France and the women started in Hawaii last Saturday. There will be a change next year. The triathlon scene doesn’t like this at all, to say the least. Hawaii is myth, holy grail, the cradle of the Ironman and the identity of this sport.
Less testosterone, but something is missing too
But what was it like in Kona? Only with women? It was different. More casual, more relaxed, “less testosterone, more estrogen,” as Laura Philipp, third-placed at the World Cup, says. During the training run on the Alii Drive, there were no elbows thrown out and no expensive bikes shown off. For many of the amateur athletes who made it onto the starting list thanks to the larger field, it was an adventure. Just like back in 1978 for the 15 founders.
It sounds paradoxical: But the Ironman has slowed down among women precisely because of the desire to earn more money. There were fewer sponsor events on site, less media, fewer spectators. This vibe was somehow good for the island, even if Kona was already very empty in the evening when the last athletes crossed the finish line. The slogan “Women Only”, which Ironman had previously advertised, could also be reinterpreted as “Women Lonely”, because they felt a bit lonely without the men. “That’s strange,” says vice world champion Anne Haug.
Just get away from Hawaii altogether?
While recently the discussion was more about losing the Ironman myth with the World Cup rotation, it is now more about whether men and women should really be separated. Many are in favor of a return to the old format: everything in one day, everything in one race. Laura Philipp takes a different approach. She thinks two races are good because it gives more attention to the women, but both races should take place in the immediate vicinity of each other.
In Hawaii they tried this last year, the women on Thursdays, the men on Saturdays. The island was bursting at the seams due to the two large starting fields. It wasn’t actually feasible. That’s why Philipp even brings a complete departure from the myth of Hawaii into play. “There are enough standard reds in the world who can do that,” she tells the sports show. “I would be happy if the World Cup took place and we experienced even more excitement.” In Kailua-Kona, the sleepy town in Hawaii, it would then be pretty quiet all year round.