Around a month after the men’s Ironman World Championship race was held in Nice, France, the women’s event is set to take place this weekend at the traditional venue of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. This year marks the first time in history that the men’s race was held at a different location and time than the women’s event.
Since 1981, Ironman World Championships have been held together at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. But after a recent agreement, Nice and Kona were named the co-hosts for the event until 2026, with men and women switching locations each year.
With one of the deepest and most well-rounded fields ever, the 2023 Hawaii Ironman Championship will be one for the ages. More than 2,000 professional triathletes from 73 countries, regions, and territories will converge in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i, on October 14.
Who won the Men’s Ironman World Championship?
Last year’s runner-up, Frenchman Sam Laidlow, won the first-ever Ironman World Championship race outside of the United States on home soil and took home a handsome sum of $125,000 by clocking an 8:06:22 (47:50 swim, 4:31:28 bike, and 2:41:46 run).
At 24 years old, he became the youngest men’s world champion, breaking the record set by American Scott Tinley in 1982 (25 years). He also became the first French athlete to win the championship.
Men’s Results
Below are the final race results of the men’s Ironman World Championship
1. Sam Laidlow (FRA) – 8:06:22
2. Patrick Lange (GER) – 8:10:17
3. Magnus Ditlev (DEN) – 8:11:43
4. Rudy von Berg (USA) – 8:12:57
5. Leon Chevalier (FRA) – 8:15:07
6. Arthur Horseau (FRA) – 8:18:36
7. Bradley Weiss (RSA) – 8:20:54
8. Gregory Barnaby (ITA) – 8:21:15
9. Robert Wilkowiecki (POL) – 8:21:23
10. Clement Mignon (FRA) – 8:24:10
How to watch 2023 Women’s Ironman World Championship?
Distance: 140.6 Miles (Swimming 2.4 Miles – Cycling 112 Miles – Running 26.2 Miles)
Location: KAILUA-KONA, Hawai’i
Live Stream: Watch Live here
Date: Saturday, October 14
Start Time: 6:00 am – 1:45 pm
Women’s VinFast IRONMAN World Championship Preview
Regarding the course, the race will begin from the crystal-clear waters of Kailua Bay for a 2.4-mile (3.8km) swim, followed by a biking course of 112 miles and 26.2 miles of running course.
Among the female triathletes participating this week, 53% are from North America, 28% from Europe and 9% from Oceania. Latin America makes up 5% of the field, Asia 4%, while Africa and the Middle East account for 1%.
More specifically, the United States of America leads with 976 athletes, followed by Canada (160), Germany (144), Australia (122), and the United Kingdom (112).
As expected, a few top contenders won’t be able to participate this week. Susie Cheetham posted that she had picked up pneumonia and hadn’t recovered in time to prepare for the championship.
Alice Alberts posted that she won’t be featuring and wants to gain more experience at the Pro level instead. Barbara Riveros is another big name among absentees.
Reigning IRONMAN World Champion Chelsea Sodaro returns to action with bib #1 and will look to take back-to-back IRONMAN World Champion titles. Her win last year marked the first win on debut by a female athlete since 2007 and the first American since 1996.
Lucy Charles-Barclay, who has been runner-up in the 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 championships; 2022 third-place finisher Anne Haug; five-time Ironman World Champion Daniela Ryf; Ironman European Champion Laura Philipp, 2023 IRONMAN European Champion Sarah True (USA), Olympic Games Silver Medalist Lisa Norden (SWE), 2023 IRONMAN African Champion runner up, Fenella Langridge (GBR), and 2023 IRONMAN Asia Pacific Champion and IRONMAN Australia Champion, Kylie Simpson (AUS) are some other big names in the event.
Kat Matthews, runner up in both the 2021 IRONMAN World Championship and 2023 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship races, will be making a return to the championship after she was forced to withdraw from the race last year after a serious bike crash which resulted in fractures to her skull, two vertebrae, and sternum.
After winning her second consecutive VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title in Lahti, Finland, in August, Taylor Knibb secured automatic qualification to the 2023 IRONMAN World Championship in Big Island.
But what makes her participation even more special is that she will compete alongside her mother, Leslie Knibb, who has competed in the championship six times and achieved two podiums.
Start list: 2023 Women’s Ironman World Championship
Start-List:
1 | Chelsea Sodaro | 34(y) | USA
2 | Lucy Charles-Barclay | 30(y) | GBR
3 | Anne Haug | 40(y) | GER
4 | Daniela Ryf | 36(y) | SUI
5 | Taylor Knibb | 25(y) | USA
6 | Laura Philipp | 36(y) | GER
7 | Lisa Norden | 38(y) | SWE
8 | Fenella Langridge | 31(y) | GBR
9 | Sarah Crowley | 40(y) | AUS
10 | Skye Moench | 35(y) | USA
11 | Laura Siddall | 43(y) | GBR
12 | Katrina Matthews | 32(y) | GBR
14 | Sarah True | 41(y) | USA
15 | Gurutze Frades Larralde | 42(y) | ESP
16 | Kylie Simpson | 40(y) | AUS
17 | Lotte Wilms | 39(y) | NED
18 | Ruth Astle | 34(y) | GBR
19 | Els Visser | 33(y) | NED
20 | Jodie Robertson | 39(y) | USA
21 | Pamella Oliveira | 36(y) | BRA
22 | Rachel Zilinskas | 29(y) | USA
23 | Chloe Lane | 33(y) | AUS
24 | Jocelyn McCauley | 35(y) | USA
25 | Maja Stage Nielsen | 35(y) | DEN
26 | Danielle Lewis | 35(y) | USA
27 | Rebecca Clarke | 34(y) | NZL
28 | Haley Chura | 38(y) | USA
29 | Svenja Thoes | 32(y) | GER
30 | Radka Kahlefeldt | 38(y) | AUS
31 | Daniela Bleymehl | 35(y) | GER
33 | Penny Slater | 27(y) | AUS
35 | Lauren Brandon | 38(y) | USA
36 | Agnieszka Jerzyk | 35(y) | POL
37 | Laura Zimmerman | 33(y) | GER
38 | Laura Jansen | 29(y) | GER
39 | Hannah Berry | 33(y) | NZL
40 | Jeanne Collonge | 36(y) | FRA
41 | Jen Annett | 38(y) | CAN
42 | Melanie McQuaid | 50(y) | CAN
43 | Leonie Konczalla | 32(y) | GER
44 | Fiona Moriarty | 35(y) | IRE
45 | Sara Svensk | 34(y) | SWE
46 | Kate Gillespie-Jones | 32(y) | AUS
47 | Justine Mathieux | 27(y) | FRA
48 | Alexandra Watt | 31(y) | USA
49 | Sarah Thomas | 40(y) | AUS
50 | Mariana Borges De Andrade | 37(y) | BRA
51 | Hilary Hughes | 37(y) | IRL
52 | Laura Brown | 40(y) | AUS
53 | Carla Dahan | 26(y) | FRA
54 | Manon Genet | 34(y) | FRA
55 | Michelle Vesterby | 40(y) | DEN
56| Alice Alberts | 31(y) | USA
57 | Meredith Kessler | 45(y) | USA
58 | Gabriele Maria Obmann | 34(y) | AUT
