From tomorrow on it’s showtime: the World Championship Ironman Hawaii! We have some interesting numbers for you.
More than 5,000 registered athletes from around the globe will converge on Hawaii for the World Championship.
For the first time in the event’s 40-plus year history, Kona will take place as a two-day event on Thursday, October 6 and Saturday, October 8.
By the numbers
Among the many athletes from around the world, Europe leads the way with 46% of the athletes registered to race in the 2022 IM World Championship. Following Europe, North America accounts for 35%, while Oceania accounts for 7% of the field. Latin America represents 5% and Asia 4%, while the final 2% is shared by Africa and the Middle East. Athletes range in age from 19 to 82 years old.
The USA is the most represented nation with 1,617 registered athletes, followed by Germany (504), United Kingdom (314), Australia (314), France (263) and Canada (231). Other athletes from countries as far as Bermuda, Cyprus, Guatemala, Iceland, Lithuania, and Saudi Arabia are traveling from around the globe to race the 2022 Ironman World Championship. Countries being represented for the first time include Kyrgyzstan and St Martin.
This year’s field boasts 14 age-group champions from the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Ironman World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission that took place in St George, Utah, on May 7, 2022.
On the women’s side, there is: Brazil’s Julia Iglesias (F18-24), Netherland’s Kyra Meulenberg (F25-29) and Marlene De Boer (F30-34), Finland’s Satu Suuronen (F40-44), Austria’s Constance Mochar (F45-49), United States’ Beni Gras-Thompson (F50-54), Julie Dunkle (F50-54), Lynne Fiedler (F60-64), Diane Tracy (F70-74) and Switzerland’s Irene Gambaro (F65-69).
On the men’s side, 21 Ironman World Champions include Germany’s Christian Storzer (M50-54) and Olaf Karsten (M50-54), United States’ Justin Riele (M25-29) and Rick Simpson (M70-74), and Great Britain’s Martin Gannon (M65-69).
This year’s field also features seven age-group champions from the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship when the event was last held in Hawai`i. On the women’s side, there is: Great Britain’s Laura Addie (F25-29), United States’ Jana Richtrova (F40-44), Switzerland’s Georgina Gadient (F40-44), Austria’s Mary Mitchell (F60-64) and Canada’s Laurelee Nelson (F65-69).
On the men’s side, returners include United States’ Aaron Tomasz (M25-29) and New Zealand’s Warren Hill (M80-84) the oldest athlete in the field.
- Warren Hill (NZL) is the oldest male participant at 82, while Peyton Thompson (USA) is the youngest at 20.
- Cherie Gruenfeld (USA) is the oldest female participant at 78, while Rachel Welsford (CAN) is the youngest at 19.
- 45 is the average age of all registrants.
- 20 athletes will be celebrating their birthdays on their respective race days.
- 48 US states are accounted for, with the greatest number hailing from California (200), Texas (118), New York (114), Florida (113), Colorado (98) and Hawai`i (98).
- 2,466 athletes racing in this year’s IM World Championship are Ironman All World Athletes.
- More than 5,000 volunteers will help support the world championship in 2022.
“We are so pleased to be returning to the Island of Hawai`i following a three-year hiatus with this highly competitive field of athletes,” said Andrew Messick, President & Chief Executive Officer of The IM Group.
“With over 5,000 of the world’s best athletes, as well as their family and supporters, making their way to Kailua-Kona as we will embark on the first ever two-day IM World Championship, we do so in appreciation of this community and in the spirit of this year’s event theme Kū Like, meaning stand together.”
