KOHALA COAST — Honu is here, as are 1,500-plus speedy triathletes from around the globe ready to take on one of the most scenic races in the Ironman circuit.
Ironman 70.3 Hawaii — also known as Honu — starts at 6:30 a.m. Saturday and consists of a 1.2-mile open ocean swim at Hapuna Beach State Park, a 56-mile out-and-back bike on the northern half of the Ironman World Championship course to Hawi, and wraps up with a 13.1-mile, two-loop run, finishing at the Fairmont Orchid’s Honu Pointe.
In the race’s 16-year existence, some of the biggest names in the sport have claimed the top overall crown on the Kohala Coast. Ironman World Champions Craig Alexander, Chris McCormack, Tim DeBoom and Pete Jacobs all have finished first, while well-known cyclist Lance Armstrong also claimed the title back in 2012.
But in 2015, the race decided to shift the focus to its age-group athletes, eliminating a pro field.
The heated competition has remained and is expected to be at an all-time high this weekend with a slew of slots to the 70.3 World Championship and the Ironman World Championship up for grabs.
There will be 40 slots available to the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice, France in September, and a total of 54 to October’s Ironman World Championship in Kona. Of the 54 slots, 24 are reserved exclusively for Hawaii residents who finish as the top Aloha State athlete in their age group.
As it did last year, the event will utilize a rolling swim start within the age groups, with a buzzer every five seconds signaling the athletes — who self-seeded based on perceived finishing time — to enter the water.
It’s meant to increase safety, reduce anxiety and allow athletes to swim at their own pace. It also opens up the bike segment of the race, reducing drafting and — again — making it safer.
One more thing it does is force the finish-line crowd to hold the applause. With athletes self-seeding in the swim — coupled with the age groups starting at different times — the first athlete that hits Honu Pointe isn’t necessarily the top overall finisher (which is usually celebrated by breaking through a banner and with lei).
This was the case last year, when Big Islander Jose Graca got the celebration, but Canada’s Chuck Perreault had the top time of 4:21:46. Perreault started nearly 30 minutes back of Graca.
David Wild has been the top male local finisher the last four years. He will be on the start line Saturday.
On the women’s side, Kona’s Bree Brown, who is making a comeback from a broken leg, will be somebody to watch as a top contender.
