Côte d’Azur instead of the Pacific Ocean: The men’s Ironman World Championship will not take place in Hawaii this year, but in Nice. The women will start in southern France from 2024.
The Ironman World Championship has found a second home. As the organizers announced on Thursday (January 5th, 2023), the legendary men’s and women’s triathlon races will alternate between Nice and Hawaii. The premiere is on September 10th when the men determine their world champion in the French coastal town.
This year, the women traditionally start on October 14th in Kailua-Kona. 2024 there will be an exchange, the men will then be guests in Hawaii again, the women will move to Nice. This rotation will continue until 2026.
Much criticism for the organizers
Even before the award to Nice, the decision had caused some harsh criticism. “For me, the Ironman World Championship belongs in Hawaii. That’s where our sport was born, that’s where it belongs. Our sport thrives on the Hawaii myth.”, ex-world champion Patrick Lange said emphatically at the Hessenschau. For Lange, greed for profit is the reason for the “Revolution”: “The cow will probably be milked until she drops dead.”
Since 1978 always in Hawaii with one exception
The race over the traditional distances of 3.86 km swimming, 180.2 km cycling and 42.195 km running has been held in Hawaii since 1978, since 1982 under the name Ironman. The only exception so far: The 2021 World Cup, which was postponed due to the corona pandemic, was made up for in May 2022 in Utah.
In 2022 there were two World Cup editions, since October also started in Hawaii. The men’s and women’s races were held separately over two days for the first time. The event was heavily criticized due to skyrocketing costs for participants.