Preview, schedule and how to watch the long course triathlon stars in action

That Ironman World Championship 2022 in Kona, Hawaii will cap a historic endurance season triathlon‘s parade event when it returns to the Big Island from October 6-8 for the first time in three years.

The world’s top long-distance triathletes will make another attempt to win the ultimate prize of Ironman triathlon as the 2022 world championships mark their second year.

This is only the second time in the history of the event that two 140.6-distance World Championships have been held in the same year due to disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Can Norwegian Olympic champion Christian Blumenfelt capture an unprecedented second Ironman world title in the same year? Wants Swiss superstar Daniela Rif further cement their legacy with a sixth world title in Hawaii?

We look at what’s at stake in Kona and the protagonists vying for the ultimate prize in the Ironman Triathlon.

When and where will the 2022 Ironman World Championship take place?

The 2022 Ironman World Championship returns to its spiritual home of Kona, Hawaii for the first time since 2019.

The flagship Ironman triathlon has been held in Kona every year since 1982 before the pandemic forced a change. The belated 2021 World Championships took place in St. George, Utah earlier this year, with the 2022 event set to return to Hawaii.

The 2022 Ironman World Championship will be held over two days for the first time, with the elite women’s race taking place on Thursday and the elite men’s race on Saturday. The 226 km (140.6 mile) competition also features age group triathletes.

Complete Ironman 140.6 course sees athletes Swim 3.86 km (2.4 miles) in the sea of ​​Kailua Bay, drive 180.2 km (112 miles) on a coastal bike route from Kailua-Kona to Hawi that includes 1772 m (5814 ft) elevation, and Run the full marathon distance of 42.2 km (26.2 miles) past the Honokohau Harbor. The details of the 2022 race track can be found here.

Stars to watch at the 2022 Ironman World Championships in Kona – Men’s Elite Races

norway Christian Blumenfelt has been riding the wave for the last two years and has won some of the most coveted prizes in international triathlon.

In 2021, he won his first gold medal at Tokyo 2020 over an Olympic distance of 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run before shifting his focus to the full distance Ironman.

The transition was nothing short of spectacular, with Blummenfelt setting records and winning titles. Just 10 months after his Olympic triumph, Blummenfelt added another feather to his hat when he won gold at the 2021 Ironman World Championships in St. George, Utah.

Blummenfelt’s running skills remain a valuable arrow in his quiver. He ran the marathon en route to his World Championship win in an impressive time of 2:38:01.

The 28-year-old will face another top-flight men’s field in Kona, including his compatriot and reigning 70.3 world champion Gustav Ident.

The Norwegian duo will both be making their Kona debuts and will face off against experienced fighters Patrick Long from Germany. Lange is no stranger to the podium, winning world titles in 2017 and 2018 Sebastian Kienlethe 2014 winner, is the only other former men’s champion who will be in action in Kona.

Daniela Ryf on the hunt for her sixth world title – preview of the women’s elite

Swiss superstar Daniela Ryf iRegarded as the best triathlete of her time, she won four Ironman world titles in the trot between 2015 and 2018. The 35-year-old added a fifth full Ironman title to Germany at the 2021 edition Anne Haug ended her winning streak at Kona 2019. Ryf is also a five-time 70.3 World Champion, underscoring her dominance in the middle distance and distance Ironman events.

The two-time Olympian is only the third woman behind the Zimbabwean legend Paula Newby-Fraser and countryman Natasha Badman to win five Ironman world titles. The defending champion will look to further write her name in the history books in Kona as she chases her sixth Ironman world title.

Haug, the only other former Kona Champion in the 2022 field, stands squarely in Ryf’s path and will assess her chances of a second world title after winning on the Big Island in 2019.

Friendly German Laura Philip has also emerged as a contender, having posted fast times over the past two years, including an Ironman world best of 8:18 at Hamburg 2022. Philipp finished fourth in her Kona debut in 2019 and will be looking to make it to the podium create.

All-time runner-up Lucy Charles Barclay from Great Britain was set to fight for the title again after winning three consecutive silver medals in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Ironman 2022 World Championship Elite Race and Age Group Wave Start Time Schedule

All times are local time in Hawaii (UTC-10)

Thursday October 6, 2022

06:25 – Elite Ladies start
06:27 – PC/HC athletes
06:30 – Women 30-34
06:35 – Women 35-39
06:40 – Women 40-44
06:45 – Women 18-29
06:50 – Women 45-49
06:55 – Women 50-54
07:00 – Women 55+
07:25 – Men 65+
07:30 – Men 60-64
07:35 – Men 50-54
07:40 – Males 25-29

Saturday 8 October 2022

06:25 – Elite men start
06:40 – Men 35-39
06:50 – Men 30-34
07:05 – Men 40-44
07:20 – Men 45-49
07:35 – Men 55-59
07:40 – Males 18-24

Participants are expected to take between 10 and 17 hours to complete the full Ironman triathlon course.

How to watch the 2022 Ironman World Championship

Races will be available to viewers via the Ironman digital live streaming and TV broadcasting partners, with the IRONMANnow channel providing live access on YouTube.

Detailed information on television and online reporting can be found here.