When Triathlon Today in late November 2022 published about Ironman spreading its World Championships over two locations – Kona and Nice – it was so shocking that many people didn’t actually believe it. When Ironman itself announced the news a week later, confirming Triathlon Today’s coverage, a lot of triathletes were shocked. By now, most of us are somewhat used to the situation and we have had two separate World Championships for two years already – the men’s and women’s are separated – but now Ironman is surveying athletes to find out what their opinions are.
The organizer is doing so using a survey sent out to thousands of triathletes asking for participants’ own opinions on splitting the Ironman World Championships over two locations. Previously, Ironman CEO Scott Derue indicated that he is looking at all possibilities to possibly bring the World Championships back together and already spoke with stakeholders in Nice and on Kona, but so now he is also actively soliciting the opinions of athletes. Among other things, athletes can indicate whether they would prefer a split World Championship for men and women at one or two locations, alternating locations for the World Championship or both World Championships at the same time and location.
How Ironman might want to return both World Championships to one location and the same time is difficult to assess. Both venues – both Kona and Nice – no longer seem to lend themselves to the thousands of athletes then in action at the same time.
