98-490: An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), consisting of a 2.4-mile (3.9 km) swim , a 112-mile (180.2 km) bicycle ride and a marathon 26.22-mile (42.2 km) run completed in that order, a total of 140.6 miles (226.3 km). It is widely considered one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in
196-512: A draft legal format for the bike leg, whereas drafting is not permitted at the amateur level. In addition, the ITU has a Long Distance Triathlon series. The World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is a private company that sanctions and organises the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races each year. These races serve as qualifying events for their own annual World Championships. The Ironman World Championship
294-526: A marathon run along the coast (from Keauhou to Keahole Point and back to Kailua-Kona); finishing on Aliʻi Drive. The most recent Ironman World Championship took place on October 6, 2022, and was won by Gustav Iden of Norway in 7:40:24 and Chelsea Sodaro of the United States in 8:33:46. The current Ironman Hawaii course record was set in 2022 by Gustav Iden (Norway), whose winning time was 7 hours 40 minutes 24 seconds. Daniela Ryf (Switzerland) set
392-513: A marathon . In December of that year the national television station France 2 broadcast a program, Voyage au bout de la souffrance ( Journey to the End of Suffering ) which detailed the events of the Nice Triathlon. This program introduced the sport to the general public. Some fans of traditional sports strongly criticised this new practice as seven of the entrants were hospitalised due to
490-415: A 5% margin of error in the cycle and run course distances. Though there can be some variation in race distances, particularly among short triathlons, most triathlons conform to one of those above standards. In general, participation in a triathlon requires an athlete to register and sign up in advance of the actual race. After registration, racers are often provided a race number, colored swim cap , and, if
588-489: A certain type of athlete. The standard Olympic distance of 1.5/40/10 km (0.93/24.8/6.2 miles) was created by longtime triathlon race director Jim Curl in the mid-1980s, after he and partner Carl Thomas produced the U.S. Triathlon Series (USTS) between 1982 and 1997. Sprint triathlons are the most common triathlon distance in the United States. In 2022, for example, there were 839 USAT sanctioned sprint triathlons, more than all other distances combined. In addition to
686-617: A combination of World Triathlon and WTC rules to sanction WTC's branded events. Many other organisations exist beginning with local clubs that may host a single small race once per year to companies like the Challenge Family brand that produces long-distance events around the world, which includes events like Challenge Roth . International Ultra-Triathlon Association (IUTA) is the official governing body of Ultratriathlon , which involves triathlon in distances longer than an iron-distance race. Additionally, each nation, generally, has
784-553: A consensus on an Olympic route for the sport. McDonald was selected as President of the committee, while Sweden's Sture Jonasson was elected as Secretary. Then in February 1989, an informal meeting was held in Vancouver , Canada , where members of the working committee worked nonstop for a week on the statutes and regulations of the future International Triathlon Union (ITU). Then on 1 April 1989, 30 National Federations attended
882-487: A helmet and cycling shoes. In some cases, racers leave their cycling shoes attached to their bicycle pedals and slip their feet into them while riding. Some triathletes don't wear socks, decreasing their time spent in transition even more. The cycling stage proceeds around a marked course, typically on public roads. In many cases, especially smaller triathlons, roads are not closed to automobiles; however, traffic coordinators are often present to help control traffic. Typically,
980-446: A large number of amateur athletes are competing. Another option is individual time trial starts, where athletes enter the water one at a time, a few seconds apart. The swim leg can occur in any available body of water, whether a natural body of water or a swimming pool. Swim legs not occurring in a swimming pool are considered open water swimming where the course typically proceeds around a series of marked buoys before athletes exit
1078-526: A lawsuit was to be argued at the Court of Arbitration for Sport . This settlement had a large effect on WTC races, including WADA membership for the WTC and out-of-competition testing for elite athletes. Since 2008, coinciding with leadership changes at both the ITU and WTC, the two organisations have been steadily working together. Efforts in 2012 and 2014 resulted in the announcement that Ironman would standardise
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#17327800540861176-545: A member of the 1957 Collegiate and AAU All-American swim teams. Then in 1973, Johnstone learned of the Dave Pain Birthday Biathlon, a 7.2 km (4.5 mi) run followed by what was billed as a quarter-mile (0.4 km) swim (the actual distance was only between 200 and 300 yards). The following year, after competing in the event for the second time and placing in the top ten, Johnstone desired more of this style of race and with equal emphasis on
1274-565: A minority event on the world stage. The first modern swim/bike/run event was held at Mission Bay, San Diego, California on September 25, 1974. The race was conceived and directed by two members of the San Diego Track Club, Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan. Johnstone recalls that he was a part of the 70s jogging craze in America and that after entering a few races he was not regaining his "mediocre fitness" despite having been
1372-665: A much slower pace than they are accustomed to in training. Triathletes train for this phenomenon through transition workouts known as "bricks": back-to-back workouts involving two disciplines, most commonly cycling and running. Gordon Haller Gordon Haller (born 1950) is the winner of the first Ironman Triathlon . Haller grew up in Forest Grove, Oregon and earned a degree in physics at Pacific University . On Oahu, Hawaii in 1978, Haller competed in Navy Commander John Collins’ race which combined
1470-483: A path for amateur athletes to qualify for the Ironman World Championships. The change was made to accommodate for the increased number of qualifying slots created from the full Ironman events which had been recently added. For professional triathletes, up to three 70.3 events can be used to accumulate points to be put towards their championship qualifying point rankings. Advance Publications ,
1568-509: A qualifying event. The Ironman qualifying events include: The designation of "world record" is unofficial due to lack of course certification as well as World Triathlon Corporation not maintaining official world record status. In 2005, WTC instituted the Ironman 70.3 race series. This shorter course, also known as a Half Ironman, consists of a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) swim, 56-mile (90 km) bike ride, and 13.1-mile (21.1 km) run. As with
1666-513: A race; each competitor must do a segment of swimming, cycling and running. The World Triathlon Mixed Relay Championships began with two separate classifications for men and women. In 2009, it adopted a 4×4 mixed relay format, where each team has two men and two women. The triathlon at the Youth Olympic Games also has a 4× mixed relay since 2010, and the event was introduced at the 2020 Summer Olympics . The World Triathlon accepts
1764-437: A sanctioning body for triathlon events in their respective country with regard to athletes competing and qualifying for Olympic competition. The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO), an athlete-owned body that represents non-drafting professional triathletes, was launched in 2016. The organisation focuses on promoting the athletes and their performances with high-quality international broadcasts. In 2022 The PTO launched
1862-466: A single activity are not as common in triathlon as they are in single sport events. The cross-training effect that athletes achieve from training for one sport by doing a second activity applies to triathlon training. Additional activities that triathletes perform for cross-training benefits are yoga, pilates, and weight training. Triathletes will often use their legs less vigorously and more carefully than other swimmers, conserving their leg muscles for
1960-406: A specialized geometry, including a steep seat-tube angle both to improve aerodynamics and to spare muscle groups needed for running. At the end of the bike segment, triathletes also often cycle with a higher cadence (revolutions per minute), which serves in part to keep the muscles loose and flexible for running. The primary distinguishing feature of running in a triathlon is that it occurs after
2058-531: A triathlon provides cardiovascular exercise benefits. Additionally, triathletes encounter fewer injuries than those who only use running as part of their exercise routine due to the incorporation of low impact swim and bike training. Triathletes spend many hours training for competitions, like other endurance event participants. There are three components that have been researched to improve endurance sports performance; aerobic capacity, lactate threshold, and economy. Injuries that are incurred from long hours of
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#17327800540862156-401: A variety of styles to match the conditions of the water. For example, wetsuits that are sleeveless and cut above the knee are designed for warmer waters, while still providing buoyancy. Wetsuits are legal in sanctioned events at which the surface water temperature is 26 °C (79 °F) or less. In non-sanctioned events or in "age group" classes where most racers are simply participating for
2254-475: A wave's energy for a bit of speed at the end of the swim stage. Also, open-water swims necessitate "sighting": raising the head to look for landmarks or buoys that mark the course. A modified stroke allows the triathlete to lift the head above water to sight without interrupting the swim or wasting energy. Because open water swim areas are often cold and because wearing a wetsuit provides a competitive advantage, specialized triathlon wetsuits have been developed in
2352-778: Is an individual sport and each athlete is competing against the course and the clock for the best time. As such, athletes are not allowed to receive assistance from anyone else outside the race, with the exception of race-sanctioned aid volunteers who distribute food and water on the course. Triathlons are timed in five sequential sections: Results are usually posted on official websites and will show for each triathlete his/her swim time; cycle time (with transitions included); run time; and total time. Some races also post transition times separately. Other rules of triathlon vary from race to race and generally involve descriptions of allowable equipment (for example, wetsuits are allowed in USAT events in
2450-604: Is held annually in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in October while the Ironman 70.3 World Championship is held in September and changes location each year. The "Ironman" and "Iron" brands are property of the WTC. Therefore, long-distance multi-sport events organized by groups other than the WTC may not officially be called "Ironman" or "Iron" races. For its part, the ITU does not sanction WTC races; however, USA Triathlon (USAT) uses
2548-649: Is not allowed, and thus the cycling portion more closely resembles individual time trial racing. In other races, such as those in the World Triathlon Series and World Triathlon Cup racing, drafting and the formation of pelotons are legal. This places an emphasis on running performance as several athletes will enter the bike to run transition at the same time due to drafting. Triathlon bicycles are generally optimized for aerodynamics, having special handlebars called aero-bars or tri-bars , aerodynamic wheels , and other components. Triathlon bikes use
2646-536: The London 2012 Olympics was imposed on Jonathan Brownlee , a competitor from Great Britain , for mounting his bike too early.) Other time penalties can be incurred during the race for, among other things, drafting on the bike in a non-drafting race, improper passing, littering on course, and unsportsmanlike conduct. Participants in triathlon often use the sport to improve or maintain their physical fitness . With each sport being an endurance event, training for
2744-723: The 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The International Triathlon Union (now known as World Triathlon ) was founded in 1989 as the international governing body of the sport, with the chief goal, at that time, of putting triathlon on the Olympic program. The World Triathlon sanctions and organises the World Triathlon Series and the World Triathlon Cup races each year, with annual world champions crowned each year for elite pro-triathletes, junior pro-triathletes, and age-group athletes. World Triathlon races are conducted in
2842-648: The European and UK-American federations over many issues, particularly in view of a favourable vote system for the ETU, this caused immediate fracturing and the TFI never fully establish itself. Around the same time, Canadian Les McDonald held talks with Juan Antonio Samaranch , then President of the International Olympic Committee . Samaranch had already declared his intention to add triathlon to
2940-416: The ITU and USAT asked all national triathlon federations to refuse to continue sanctioning any WTC events. The reasons for this stemmed from WTC not recognising the ITU as the sport's governing body as WTC was attempting to set up their own federation. Furthermore, ITU and USAT argued against supporting WTC because they were a profit driven organisation, that it was directly conflicting with ITU titles, such as
3038-474: The Ironman race and approached Nautilus Fitness Center owners Hank Grundman and Valerie Silk about taking over control of the race. Grundman previously had extended his club's facilities to many of the Ironman competitors. Following the couple's divorce in 1981 Silk received ownership of Ironman. That year she moved the competition to the less urbanized Hawaiʻi Island (called the Big Island) and in 1982 moved
Ironman Triathlon - Misplaced Pages Continue
3136-476: The Ironman series, it consists of a number of qualifying races at various locations worldwide ending in a world championship race with athletes drawn largely from top finishers in the qualifying events. For amateur athletes, some 70.3 events acted as qualifiers for the full Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. However, the 2015 qualifying year marked a large de-emphasis on using certain Ironman 70.3 series races as
3234-621: The Olympic games as fast as possible, and assured that triathlon could appear as a demonstration sport at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona but only under the auspices of the International Union of Modern Pentathlon and Biathlon (UIPMB). Many within the triathlon community were unhappy with the arrangement wishing for their own federation not to be held as part of UIPMB. Unable to accept the offer, Samaranch established an Olympic working committee for triathlon in an effort to form
3332-647: The PTO Tour, the first series of pro-triathlon 'majors' each with a prize purse of $ 1M including the PTO Canadian Open, Collins Cup and PTO US Open. A unique aspect of the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) is that it is an athlete-owned entity. Two major rule making bodies, the ITU and WTC, had an overlap of rules and authority, an issue which began to create conflict in the 2000s. This culminated in 2005 when
3430-729: The San Diego races, so they understood the concept when Collins suggested that the debate should be settled through a race combining the three existing long-distance competitions already on the island: the Waikiki Roughwater Swim (2.4 mi or 3.9 km), the Around-Oahu Bike Race (115 mi or 185 km; originally a two-day event) and the Honolulu Marathon (26.219 mi or 42.195 km). Until that time, no one present had ever done
3528-599: The Waikiki Roughwater Swim, the Around-Oahu Bike Race, and the Honolulu Marathon . Of the 15 competitors, 12 finished what today is called the Ironman , and Gordon Haller was the first champion, with a time of 11 hours, 46 minutes, 58 seconds. In 1979, Haller placed fourth behind winner, Tom Warren . Haller commented about the success of Ironman, nearly 30 years later in a 2007 interview with Competitor Magazine "It’s just an amazing experience... certainly something I didn’t expect to have happen way back in
3626-416: The above distances, two new long-distance events have appeared, the 111 and 222 events. The 111 distance is 1 km (0.62 mi) swimming, 100 km (62 mi) bicycling and 10 km (6.2 mi) running, totalling 111 km (69 mi). The 222 distance is double that. Most triathlons are individual events. Another format is relay triathlons, where a team of competitors take turns to compete at
3724-614: The addition. When naming the event the pair used the unofficially agreed naming system for multisport events, already used for pentathlon , heptathlon , and decathlon . So they used the Greek prefix tri (three) for the number of events, followed by the already familiar athlon , hence naming the event the Mission Bay Triathlon. It is worthy of note that neither founder had heard of the French events; both believed their race
3822-428: The agreement has been in place for decades and the royalties paid are "not material to the business." Iron Man first appeared in 1963, whereas the first Ironman triathlon was raced in 1978. The Ironman Triathlon logo is a trademark of the World Triathlon Corporation . The WTC has also registered the trademarks for "Ironman," "Ironman Triathlon," "M-Dot," and "70.3." WTC has licensed the Ironman name for use, such as in
3920-541: The annual race on the Big Island became The Ironman World Championship. In 1983, admission to the race began following a qualification based system, whereby athletes had to obtain entry to the race by competing in another Ironman race and gaining a slot, allocated on a proportional basis. The Hawaii race consists of a swim in the bay of Kailua-Kona , a bike ride across the Hawaiian lava desert to Hāwī and back, and
4018-437: The athlete has already been exercising in two other disciplines for an extended period of time, so many muscles are already tired. The effect of switching from cycling to running can be profound; first-time triathletes are often astonished at their muscle weakness , which may be caused by lactate accumulation and the bizarre, sometimes painful sensation in their thighs a few hundred yards into the run, and discover that they run at
Ironman Triathlon - Misplaced Pages Continue
4116-639: The awards ceremony for the 1977 Oʻahu Perimeter Relay. Among the participants were representatives of both the Mid-Pacific Road Runners and the Waikiki Swim Club, whose members had long been debating which athletes were more fit, runners or swimmers. On this occasion, U.S. Navy Commander John Collins pointed out that a recent article in Sports Illustrated magazine had declared that Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx had
4214-604: The bike race. Collins figured by shaving 3 miles (4.8 km) off the course and riding counter-clockwise around the island, the bike leg could start at the finish of the Waikiki Rough Water and end at the Aloha Tower , the traditional start of the Honolulu Marathon. Prior to racing, each athlete received three sheets of paper listing a few rules and a course description. Handwritten on the last page
4312-441: The bike, and it must remain on until the competitor has dismounted; the competitor may not be required to wear the helmet when not on the bicycle (e.g. while repairing a mechanical problem). Failure to comply with this rule will result in disqualification. Additionally, while on the bike course, all bicycles shall be propelled only by human force and human power. Other than pushing a bicycle, any propulsive action brought on by use of
4410-548: The current record by close to 2 hours, completing the race in 9 hours and 24 minutes. For the 1981 event there were more than triple the entries, at 326. There have been 19 different ways to qualify for the Ironman. Some of the ways include being a Hawaii Resident who won an event drawing, attaining a win in your age group at a previous Ironman, or even having a "Human Interest Story." Such human interest stories include participants who are cancer survivors and war heroes injured in battle. Around 1979 Collins no longer wanted to direct
4508-561: The cycle and run to follow. Many triathletes use altered swim strokes to compensate for turbulent, aerated water and to conserve energy for a long swim. In addition, the majority of triathlons involve open-water (outdoor) swim stages, rather than pools with lane markers. As a result, triathletes in the swim stage must jockey for position, and can gain some advantage by drafting , following a competitor closely to swim in their slipstream . Triathletes will often use " dolphin kicking " and diving to make headway against waves, and body surfing to use
4606-582: The cycling stage finishes back at the same transition area. Racers enter the transition area, rack their bicycles, and quickly change into running shoes before heading out for the final stage. The running stage usually ends at a separate finish line near the transition area. In most races, " aid stations " located on the bike and run courses provide water and energy drinks to the athletes as they pass by. Aid stations at longer events may often provide various types of food as well, including such items as energy bars , energy gels , fruit, cookies, soup, and ice. Once
4704-475: The early morning on February 18, 1978, twelve completed the race. Gordon Haller , a U.S. Navy Communications Specialist, was the first to earn the title Ironman by completing the course with a time of 11 hours, 46 minutes, 58 seconds. The runner-up John Dunbar, a U.S. Navy SEAL , led after the second transition and had a chance to win but ran out of water on the marathon course; his support crew resorted to giving him beer instead. With no further marketing efforts,
4802-551: The enjoyment of the sport instead of vying for official triathlon placing, wetsuits can often be used at other temperatures. Race directors will sometimes discourage or ban wetsuits if the water temperature is above 29 °C (84 °F) due to overheating that can occur while wearing a wetsuit. Other rules have been implemented by race organizers regarding both wetsuit thickness as well as the use of "swim skins;" which need to be considered by those participating in future triathlons. Some triathlon sanctioning bodies have placed limits on
4900-460: The entrance of Fiesta Island, and a final crawl up a steep dirt bank to finish. Most participants were not skilled swimmers, so Johnstone recruited his 13-year-old son to float on his surfboard and act as lifeguard. Some participants took longer than expected, and it began to get dark as they finished their swims. Shanahan recalls they pulled up a few cars and turned on the headlights so the athletes could see. Johnstone and Shanahan were surprised by
4998-402: The event is being electronically timed, a timing band. Athletes will either be provided or briefed on details of the course, rules, and any problems to look out for (road conditions, closures, traffic lights, aid stations ). At a major event, such as an Ironman or a long course championship, triathletes may be required to set up and check-in their bike in the transition area a day or two before
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#17327800540865096-555: The event was to be hosted in Monaco , but with the death of Princess Grace in September 1982, the previous agreements fell through. IMG refused to cancel the event so it was reorganised to be hosted in Nice , France. The first Nice Triathlon was held on 20 November 1982 where fifty seven competitors took the start, for an ill-defined competition that consisted of 1,500 m (0.93 mi) of swimming, 100 km (62 mi) of cycling and
5194-413: The finish line. Although Kathleen McCartney passed her for the women's title, Moss nevertheless crawled to the finish line. Her performance was broadcast worldwide and created the Ironman mantra that just finishing is a victory. By the end of that year the race had maxed out at 1,000 participants, with a lottery used to fill the field while turning away another 1,000 interested participants. In 1990, with
5292-702: The first ITU Congress in Avignon , France. After further discussions on the way forward to reach the Olympics, including the refusal to follow the path of the UIPMB and how triathlon should develop both economically and as a sport, the Congress endorsed the creation of the International Triathlon Union and elected its first executive committee. McDonald was elected president. The city of Avignon
5390-410: The hands is prohibited. Should a competitor's bike malfunction they can proceed with the race as long as they are doing so with their bicycle in tow. There are also strict rules regarding the 'bike mount' line. Competitors may not begin riding their bicycle out of transition until they are over a clearly marked line. Mounting the bike prior to this may incur a penalty (example: a 15-second time penalty at
5488-482: The help of Lew Friedland, Dr. James P. Gills acquired and purchased the Hawaii Triathlon Corporation, owner of the Ironman brand for $ 3 million from Silk. With the Ironman brand, Gills established the World Triathlon Corporation with the intention of furthering the sport of triathlon and increasing prize money for triathletes. A number of non-WTC full distance triathlons have been held since
5586-488: The highest recorded " oxygen uptake " of any athlete ever measured, so perhaps cyclists were more fit than anyone. Collins and his wife Judy Collins had taken part in the triathlons staged in 1974 and 1975 by the San Diego Track Club in and around Mission Bay, California , as well as the 1975 Optimist Sports Fiesta Triathlon in Coronado, California . A number of the other military athletes in attendance were also familiar with
5684-419: The individual and extrinsic factors are environmentally influenced. The most common injuries in the running event, are to the ankle and foot which result in a sprain, fracture, and muscle strain. Knee injuries like patella tendinopathy. Lower back injuries such as intervertebral disc injury and myofascial pain. Cycling injuries are common in the knees, lower back, neck and shoulder. Swimming injuries happen most in
5782-410: The large majority of triathletes, are often referred to as "age groupers" since they are typically further classified by sex and age; which offers the opportunity to compete against others of one's own gender and age group. The age groups are defined in five- or ten-year intervals. There is typically a lower age limit; which can vary from race to race. In some triathlons, heavier amateur athletes may have
5880-564: The large number of entrants (46), mainly coming from local running clubs. Two notable entrants, Judy and John Collins, would four years later found the event which brought international attention to the new sport: the Hawaii Ironman . The first European triathlon was held on 30 August 1980 in Plzeň , Czechoslovakia . The Netherlands, Belgium and West Germany followed, each of them hosting an event in 1981. But media coverage of these events
5978-529: The late 1970s in Southern California as sports clubs and individuals developed the sport. This history has meant that variations of the sport were created and still exist. It also led to other three-stage races using the name triathlon despite not being continuous or not consisting of swim, bike, and run elements. Triathletes train to achieve endurance, strength and speed. The sport requires focused persistent and periodised training for each of
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#17327800540866076-653: The legitimacy from CONADET, forerunner of the French Triathlon Federation (FFTri), which has been organising triathlon in France since 1984 the French system became standard all over Europe. The first attempt to create a global triathlon entity was the Triathlon Federation International (TFI), it had only 22 members most of which were national European federations. But immediately, fights of influences broke out between
6174-485: The line of Timex Ironman wristwatches. Triathlon A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming , cycling , and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the time transitioning between the disciplines included. The word is of Greek origin, from τρεῖς ( treîs ), 'three', and ἆθλος ( âthlos ), 'competition'. The sport originated in
6272-446: The long and standard distance world championship, and that the WTC was not following World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules. If ITU member nations did not comply with International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter rules they risked being excluded from the Olympic program. However, in 2006, the ITU backed down on its stance allowing national federations to once again sanction WTC events. This was due to an out-of-court settlement days before
6370-457: The mid-1990s. The limited number of WTC-sanctioned events, and the limited number of entries available per race, have combined with a growth in the sport that has created demand for these non-trademarked events. Many of them share the 2.4-mile (3.9 km), 112-mile (180 km), 26.2-mile (42.2 km) format with the Ironman triathlon. Originally, many used the Ironman name. Due to aggressive trademark protection, most of these races no longer use
6468-510: The objectives to federate the triathlon structures in each European country and to act as a counterbalance to American triathlon in the creation of a future worldwide federation. The following year, the eleven nations that composed the ETU met in Brussels to standardise the national structures of each European country. During this time France dominated discussions, as it was the only federation recognised by its own National Olympic Committee. With
6566-456: The option to compete against others closer to their own weight since weight is often considered an impediment to speed. As an example, under USA Triathlon rules, " Clydesdale " athletes are those men over 100 kg (220 lb), while " Athena " athletes are women over 75 kg (165 lb). Other races and organizations can choose whether or not to offer Clydesdale- and Athena-type divisions and set their own weight standards. Depending on
6664-421: The parent company that owns WTC and subsequently the Ironman brand, pays royalties to Marvel Entertainment for use of the Ironman brand. As part of the licensing agreement both Marvel and the former owner Wanda agreed to not use the "Iron Man" and "Ironman" trademarks in ways that would suggest an association with the other or cause brand confusion. World Triathlon Corporation CEO Andrew Messick has stated that
6762-535: The performance of the athletes who are training for the Ironman Triathlons while others studied the effects training has on the body and mind. In one study done by Clifford B. Sowell and Wm. Stewart Mounts Jr., "men who are 65 years old are 44% slower than one who is 35...and women is 48%" Triathletes train year round, and no matter how cautious, injuries are always possible. Many factors can be accounted for injuries happening, intrinsic factors are based on
6860-741: The plural "Ironmans" refers to multiples of "Ironman" as a short form of "Ironman Triathlon." In the triathlon community an Ironman is someone who has completed a race of the appropriate distance, whether or not it falls under the aegis of WTC. In 2013, Ironman piloted the "Swim Smart Initiative" in North America and brought with it some notable safety related changes to the Ironman format. These changes included new rules regarding swim course formats, water temperature regulations, pre-swim warm ups, wave starts, and additional rescue boats/watercraft (paddle-boards, kayaks, etc.). The Swim Smart Initiative also introduced "resting rafts" so that athletes may leave
6958-582: The race consisted of a 3 km (1.9 mi) run, a 12 km (7.5 mi) bike ride and the crossing of the river Marne , all staged consecutively and without a break. Throughout the 1920s other bike, run, and swim events appeared in different cities, such as the "Course des Trois Sports" in Marseille and "La Course des Débrouillards" in Poissy . These multisport events would continue to slowly spread and grow in popularity: by 1934 "Les Trois Sports"
7056-452: The race date from February to October; as a result of this change there were two Ironman Triathlon events in 1982. A milestone in the marketing of the legend and history of the race happened in February 1982. Julie Moss , a college student competing to gather research for her exercise physiology thesis, moved toward the finish line in first place. As she neared the finish, severe fatigue and dehydration set in and she fell, just yards away from
7154-472: The race gathered as many as 50 athletes in 1979. The race, however, was postponed a day because of bad weather conditions. Only fifteen competitors started off the race Sunday morning. San Diego's Tom Warren won in 11 hours, 15 minutes, 56 seconds. Lyn Lemaire , a championship cyclist from Boston, placed sixth overall and became the first "Ironwoman". Lemaire finished her race in 12 hours 55 minutes and 38 seconds, only 1 hour 39 minutes and 42 seconds slower than
7252-527: The race start, leaving it overnight and under guard. On the day of the race, before the start of competition, athletes will generally be provided with a bike rack to hold their bicycle and a small section of ground space for shoes, clothing, etc. in the transition area. In some triathlons, there are two transition areas, one for the swim/bike change, then one for the bike/run change at a different location. Racers are generally categorized into separate professional and amateur categories. Amateurs, who make up
7350-546: The rule set for its 2015 races and would start the unification toward ITU rules on long-distance racing with specific interest on the drafting and penalty rules. In 2017, the ITU and WTC signed a memorandum of understanding in which the two organisations stated they will: Triathlons longer than full distance are classed as ultra-triathlons . Triathlons are not necessarily restricted to these prescribed distances. Distances can be any combination of distance set by race organizers to meet various distance constraints or to attract
7448-594: The same distance as an Ironman triathlon but are not produced, owned, or licensed by the WTC. They include The Challenge Family series' Challenge Roth and the Norseman Triathlon . The event series is owned by The Ironman Group, which is owned by Advance Publications , following the acquisition from the Wanda Sports Group in August 2020. The idea for the original Ironman Triathlon arose during
7546-437: The shoulders from the continuous rotations. This could happen when there is no form or control in swimming. The neck will see some minor injury when you are only breathing from one side. Thermal injuries will occur when the athlete is dehydrated, hypathermic, and hypothermic. It is important to stay alert and listen to your body when there is unfamiliar pain or fatigue. There are over three dozen Ironman Triathlon races throughout
7644-555: The swim, as the temperature of the Mediterranean was only 14 °C (57 °F). Despite this criticism IMG's plan succeeded and throughout the 1980s. The Nice Triathlon was, alongside Hawaii, one of the two important long-distance races each year for both prize money and media attention. The year 1985 saw the creation of the first international triathlon structure, the European Triathlon Union (ETU) with
7742-410: The swim. So he petitioned the chairman of the San Diego Track Club who told him he would add a race to the club calendar. But the rest of the race was up to Johnstone to organise, and at the same time he was to contact Don Shanahan so there wouldn't be too many "weird" races on the club schedule. Shanahan told Johnstone that he wanted to include a biking leg to the race; whilst hesitant Johnstone agreed to
7840-464: The swimming stage of some races when the water temperature is below 25.6 °C (78.1 °F)), and prohibitions against interference between athletes. Additionally, the use of flippers or other swim propulsion and flotation aids are illegal in triathlon and can result in disqualification. One rule involving the cycle leg is that the competitor's helmet must be donned before the competitor mounts (or even takes possession of, in certain jurisdictions )
7938-492: The thickness of the wetsuit material. Under World Triathlon and some national governing bodies' rules no wetsuit may have a thickness of more than 5 mm (0.20 in). Triathlon cycling can differ from most professional bicycle racing depending on whether drafting is allowed during competition. In some competitions, like those governed by USA Triathlon and the World Triathlon Corporation, drafting
8036-469: The three disciplines, as well as combination workouts and general strength conditioning. The evolution of triathlon as a distinct sport is difficult to trace with precision. Many, including triathlon historian and author Scott Tinley , consider events in early twentieth century France to be the beginnings of triathlon, with many three element multisport events of differing composition appearing, all called by different names. The earliest record for an event
8134-491: The triathletes have completed the event, there is typically another aid station for them to get water, fruit, and other post-race refreshments. Occasionally, at the end of larger or longer events, the provided amenities and post-race celebrations may be more elaborate. While specific rules for triathlon can vary depending on the governing body (e.g. World Triathlon, USA Triathlon), as well as for an individual race venue, there are some basic universal rules. Traditionally, triathlon
8232-761: The triathlon within these time constraints is designated an Ironman. The name "Ironman Triathlon" is also associated with the original Ironman triathlon that is now the Ironman World Championship . Held in Kailua-Kona , the world championship has been held annually in Hawaii since 1978 (with an additional race in 1982). Originally taking place in Oahu, the race moved to Kailua-Kona in 1981 and it continues today. The Ironman World Championship has become known for its grueling length, harsh race conditions, and television coverage . There are other races that are
8330-429: The type and size of the race, there may be any of the following methods implemented to start the race. In a mass start, all athletes enter the water and begin the competition following a single start signal. In wave start events, smaller groups of athletes begin the race every few minutes. An athlete's wave is usually determined either by age group or by predicted swim time. Wave starts are more common in shorter races where
8428-425: The water near the transition area. Racers exit out of the water, enter the transition area, and change from their swim gear and into their cycling gear. Competition and pressure for faster times have led to the development of specialized triathlon clothing that is adequate for both swimming and cycling, allowing many racers to have a transition that consists of only removing their wetsuit, cap, and goggles and pulling on
8526-474: The water to rest without being disqualified. Andrew Messick, CEO of the World Triathlon Corporation, wanted the Swim Smart Initiative to ease the stress of the open swim and allowing athletes to be confident in the swim. Removing the "mass start" and conducting a "roll start" has been one of the major changes the organization has made. Over time the popularity of the sport of triathlon grew, and
8624-423: The winning time for the men's race. Collins planned on changing the race into a relay event to draw more participants, but Sports Illustrated's journalist Barry McDermott, in the area to cover a golf tournament, discovered the race and wrote a ten-page account of it. During the following year, hundreds of curious participants contacted Collins. In 1980 27-year old Dave Scott took the event by storm when he shattered
8722-538: The women's course record in 2018 with a winning time of 8 hours 26 minutes 18 seconds. Amateur triathletes can qualify for the World Championship through placement in one of the other Ironman series of races. Entry into the race can also be obtained through various contests and promotions, or through the Ironman Foundation's charitable eBay auction. Many studies have been conducted to enhance
8820-599: The word "Ironman". The Ironman format remains unchanged, and the Hawaiian Ironman is still regarded as an honored and prestigious triathlon event to win worldwide. For the 2024 Ironman Triathlon, the men's race will be held in Kona, Hawaii in October and the women's race will be held in Nice, France in September. People completing such an event within the strict event time cutoffs are agreed to be recognized as "Ironmen";
8918-448: The world that enable qualification for the Ironman World Championships. Professional athletes qualify for the championship through a point ranking system, where points are earned based on their final placement in Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events. The top 50 male and top 35 female professionals in points qualify for the championship. Amateur athletes qualify for the championship by receiving slots allocated to each age group's top finishers in
9016-654: The world. Most Ironman events have a time limit of 16 or 17 hours to complete the race, course dependent, with the race typically starting at 7:00 am. The mandatory cutoff time to complete the swim is 2 hours 20 minutes. The mandatory bike cut off time for when an athlete must have completed their swim, transition and bike varies generally between 10 hours and 10 hours 30 minutes from when an athlete began their swim. The mandatory run cutoff varies between 16 and 17 hours from when athlete began their swim. Many races will also have intermediate bike, run, and transition cut off times specific to each race venue. Any participant who completes
9114-427: Was a unique idea. On Wednesday, September 25, 1974, the race started. It began with a run of a 4.8 km (3 mi) loop, followed by biking twice around Fiesta Island for a total of 8.0 km (5 mi). Entrants would then get off the bikes, take their shoes off and run into the water to swim to the mainland. That was followed by running in bare feet, then swimming again along the bay, then one last swim up to
9212-612: Was almost non-existent. Then in 1982, the event organiser IMG , worked in partnership with the American channel CBS (direct competitor of ABC who held the exclusive rights to Hawaii), to create a new event that would take place in Europe. The initial aim was to establish a new premier competition, the European Triathlon, with the goal of being of the same size and prestige to directly compete with that of Hawaii. Originally,
9310-644: Was also given the honour of hosting the first World Championship. In 1991, the IOC recognized the ITU as the sole governing body for the sport of triathlon at its 97th session in Birmingham , UK. In 1993, the Pan American Games approved triathlon for competition at the 1995 Pan Am Games in Mar del Plata , Argentina. Then in September 1994, triathlon was added to the Olympic program as a medal earning sport at
9408-428: Was being hosted in the city of La Rochelle , though it consisted of three distinct events, swimming a 200 m (660 ft) channel crossing, a 10 km (6 mi) bike competition around the harbour of La Rochelle and the parc Laleu, and a 1.2 km (0.75 mi) run in the stadium André-Barbeau. Throughout this growth with new events appearing no unified rules ever existed and as a whole triathlon would remain
9506-544: Was from 1901 in Joinville-le-Pont , Val-de-Marne : it called itself " Les Trois Sports " (The Three Sports). It was advertised as an event for "the sportsmen of the time" and consisted of a run, a bicycle and a canoe segment. By 19 June 1921, the event in Joinville-le-Pont had become more like a standard triathlon, with the canoe segment being replaced with a swim. According to the newspaper L'Auto ,
9604-476: Was this exhortation: " Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life ", now a registered trademark. With a nod to a local runner who was notorious for his demanding workouts, Collins said, "Whoever finishes first, we'll call him the Iron Man." Each of the racers had their own support crew to supply water, food and encouragement during the event. Of the fifteen men to start off in
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