Revolutionary Shift: IRONMAN World Championship Goes All In

Kona, 2026: What We Know So Far about the Refreshed Format

After months – if not years – of speculation, it has been announced that both the men’s and women’s IRONMAN World Championships will return to Kona, Hawai’i from 2026 onwards – and on the same day again. The spiritual home of the sport had hosted its most historic and iconic event on the same day in Hawai’i up to and including 2019. The global COVID pandemic meant there was no event in 2020 and a rescheduled 2021 one was held in St George, Utah. When it returned to Kona in 2022 the men’s and women’s races took place on different days, with the stated aim of giving the women on the Thursday the same stage and coverage as the men on the Saturday. However it proved unsustainable for the island and a decision was made to split the venues between Kona and Nice for the next four years, starting with the women in Kona in 2023 and the men in Nice – and alternating after that. But that experiment will stop a year early following today’s news, with IRONMAN saying athlete feedback was crucial – especially from age-groupers who race their own World Championships at the same time as the professionals.

A “re-imagined” event The challenges of having everything on the same day include keeping all the various races – both age-group and pro – fair and distinct from each other as well as having enough time for thousands of age-groupers to race their own Championship events. But IRONMAN say the new one-day World Championship event has been “re-imagined to promote exciting and fair competition, equal and innovative coverage of men’s and women’s races, and the growth of triathlon globally.” The 2026 event will take place on October 10, 2026 and welcome nearly 3,000 of the most competitive and committed triathletes in the world – professional and amateur – to compete on the most iconic course in the sport.

Innovations and Challenges: Addressing Age-Grouper Concerns and Ensuring Fairness

A press release from IRONMAN promises: “Innovations in the one-day event format will include enhanced and equal broadcast coverage for women and men, new start times that promote fair competition across both races, and other advancements to elevate the race experience for all athletes. “Extensive research and community feedback across all groups of athletes showed a resounding shared sentiment – the IRONMAN World Championship triathlon in Kona, Hawai’i holds a special place in the hearts of IRONMAN athletes, and is the definitive location for both female and male athletes to come together with their family, friends, partners, coaches, fans, and global community as one `Ohana.”

Feedback was crucial The switch to a split World Championship came under the 12-year tenure of Andrew Messick as CEO of the IRONMAN Group. He stepped down in July 2023 and was succeeded by Scott DeRue who took over in January 2024 and a burning question ever since then has been whether the IRONMAN World Championship would return to its original format. And after that outcome was confirmed, DeRue explained: “We understand the importance of the IRONMAN World Championship, both its history and legacy in the sport of triathlon as well as what it means for the future of our sport and to our community. Over the past year, we have listened to our community, engaged thousands of athletes from around the world, and learned a great deal about what our athletes aspire to, what they need and want, and ultimately how we can evolve the IRONMAN World Championship to best serve our athletes and the future growth of the sport. “When it comes to the most important race on the triathlon calendar, we owe it to our community to listen to their feedback, to have the courage to try new things, and to make principled decisions that serve the long-term interests of the sport. While there is no shortage of ideas when it comes to the future of the IRONMAN World Championship, one thing is clear: a significant majority of women and men want the same two things – to race together on the same day and to have a fair and competitive race experience.”

The Lure of Kona: A Race for the Ages

If the feedback IRONMAN has received is to be believed, the news that the full-distance World Championships are returning to a one-day spectacular in Kona from 2026 onwards will be celebrated by the majority of age-groupers. The biggest criticism of the format which was introduced in 2023 was the fact that the women and men raced in separate locations – Kona, Hawai’i and Nice, France – each year. But the one-off 2022 version before that in Kona, where the women raced on Thursday and the men on Saturday proved to be unsustainable for the island. And that means that from next year it will all be back to the one day – October 10 – but that does leave plenty of questions still to be answered, particularly from an age-group perspective so here’s what we know so far…

The ‘Not Kona’ Effect: The Impact of Nice on Participation and

IRONMAN themselves have recognised that the ‘not Kona’ effect has seen far lower take rates of Nice slots – and an inadvertent fuelling of an “expedited departure from long distance triathlon” for athletes. So will the return of one big race on the big Island see more age-groupers return to the full IRONMAN distance in pursuit of a Kona slot? And will that make getting a slot harder? Time – and awards ceremonies – will tell.

The Quest for a Kona Slot: Will the Return to One Day Make Qualification Harder?

For now, those eagerly awaiting details to start planning their Kona 2026 qualification campaign will need a little patience with IRONMAN saying for now: “A full list of qualifying events and slot allotment for the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship will be available in the coming weeks.” But we do know that slots for men and women will not be equal, with IRONMAN explaining: “While qualifying slots will remain proportionate for age-group athletes, we will continue to provide additional slot opportunities and avenues that support growth for women and programs like Legacy athletes, PC/ ID athletes, IRONMAN Foundation Athletes, etc.”

IRONMAN’s Promise: Equal Opportunity and Growth for All

Nine months into the job as the IRONMAN Group’s CEO, Scott DeRue has said “stay tuned for exciting developments on the horizon” for the M-Dot brand. DeRue, the former boss of Equinox, had big shoes to fill after taking over from long-time CEO Andrew Messick. But he has immersed himself in IRONMAN events over the course of this year – often unannounced – and also took part in his first 70.3 race at IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina recently. Advertisement ‘We really miss the women’ Perhaps the most contentious issue he has to deal with so far is the split men’s and women’s IRONMAN World Championships in Kona and Nice. Having separate race days in Kona in 2022 for the first time didn’t prove workable for the islanders, hence the current situation where one race is in Hawaii and one on the French Riviera, with the men and women alternating each year. That’s in place up to and including 2026 but none other than Patrick Lange, who would go on to claim a third title in Kona, pleaded for a return to both racing at the same venue in his pre-race press conference. The German legend referenced DeRue himself when he said: “It’s been great to be back [in Kona], two years seems too long. I’d love to come year every year for racing. “And also to you Scott, we really miss the women, so please bring back the women to our race. So that would be much appreciated as well.”

‘Anything is Possible!’

IRONMAN CEO Scott DeRue completes IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina 2024 (Photo – Finisher Pix). DeRue, taking to LinkedIn recently, repeatedly referenced IRONMAN’s slogan of ‘Anything is Possible!’ when looking back at the year so far. He said: “From the outside, you will see the largest organizer of participation sports in the world. 200+ events across 50+ countries and a highly engaged and passionate community. This is what you see from the outside looking in, but in my first 9 months as CEO, I’s been on a journey to discover who we are on the inside. “As part of this journey, I’ve asked nearly all of our team members about their “IRONMAN Why? – why do you work at IRONMAN?” Though the specific language and wording may differ, the substance of the answer is almost universal across our team no matter the person’s role, title, or where they are in the world. “Why IRONMAN? To create experiences that are life changing by inspiring people to believe Anything is Possible! “When your brand, customer, and team are all aligned around a shared purpose, there are no limits to what can be achieved. We are not perfect as an organization, but we strive for it every day with a deep sense of purpose that is woven through the cultural fabric of our organization. It is this sense of shared purpose that is inspiring us to raise the bar and elevate expectations on who we can be as an organization and how we can better serve our community. “I am incredibly honored to be part of the IRONMAN Ohana. And I want to thank our athletes, fans, and partners for your feedback these past 9 months. Your voice is critical to us achieving our aspirations, and stay tuned for exciting developments on the horizon! “Lastly, I want to thank our IRONMAN team. I am inspired by your leadership, teamwork, and commitment to our community. It is truly a privilege to work alongside of you each and every day.”

Beyond 24: A New Era for IRONMAN

DeRue’s Vision: “Anything is Possible!” and the Future of the M-Dot Brand. DeRue, the former boss of Equinox, had big shoes to fill after taking over from long-time CEO Andrew Messick. But he has immersed himself in IRONMAN events over the course of this year – often unannounced – and also took part in his first 70. Advertisement ‘We really miss the women’ Perhaps the most contentious issue he has to deal with so far is the split men’s and women’s IRONMAN World Championships in Kona and Nice. That’s in place up to and including 2026 but none other than Patrick Lange, who would go on to claim a third title in Kona, pleaded for a return to both racing at the same venue in his pre-race conference. The German legend referenced DeRue himself when he said: “It’s been great to be back [in Kona], two years seems too long. I’d love to come year every year for the race. “And also to you Scott, we really miss the women, so please bring back the women to our race. So that would be much appreciated as well. DeRue, taking to LinkedIn recently, repeatedly referenced IRONMAN’s slogan of ‘Anything is Possible!’ when looking back at the year so far. He said: From the outside, you will see the largest organizer of participation sports in the world. 200+ events across 50+ and a highly engaged and passionate community. This is what you see from the outside looking in, but in my first 9 months as CEO, I’s been on a journey to discover who we are on the inside. As part of this journey, I’s asked nearly all of our team members about their “IRONMAN Why? – why do you work at IRONMAN?” Though the specific language and wording may differ, the substance of the answer is almost universal across our team no matter the person’s role, title, or where they are in the world. Why IRONMAN? To create experiences that are life changing by inspiring people to believe Anything is Possible! When your brand, customer, and team are all aligned around a shared purpose, there are no limits to what can be achieved. We are not perfect as an organization, but strive for it every day with a deep sense of purpose that is woven through the cultural fabric of our organization. It is this sense of shared purpose that is inspiring us to raise the bar and elevate expectations on who we can be as an organization and how we can better serve our community. “I am incredibly honored to be part of the IRONMAN Ohana. And I want to thank our athletes, fans, and partners for your feedback these past 9 months. Your voice is critical to us achieving our aspirations, and stay tuned for exciting developments on the horizon! Lastly, I want to thank our team. I am inspired by your leadership, teamwork, and commitment to our community. It is truly a privilege to alongside of you each and every day.”