Two years on, the Kona vs Nice IRONMAN World Championship split is STILL very much a thing.
On Saturday on the Big Island of Hawaii more than 2400 competitors will accept a brutal challenge on the most famous course in long-distance triathlon. But none of them will be women.
IRONMAN’s decision to split the race between alternating venues ensures that the men and women each have their own specific day in the sun every year. But it also means they do not race a World Championship together at the same venue at the same time any more.
The build-up to Kona 2024, which takes place on Saturday, saw the narrative raised again by two-time Kona king Chris McCormack, who described the split as “a debacle”.
Macca told TRI247: “The Nice/Kona split doesn’t work for me with the men and women racing on different courses. Men and women should be on the same day. Same course, same World Championship. Splitting men and women is a debacle.”
Patrick Lange on IMWC split
Clearly the Aussie great is absolutely not alone in his views, with another two-time champion Patrick Lange now adding to the calls for men and women to once again race a IRONMAN World Championship together.
The 38-year-old German, who reigned in Kona in 2017 and 2018, spoke eloquently at the pre-race press conference about his love for the Big Island, but also had a very direct message for watching IRONMAN CEO Scott DeRue.
Lange said: “It’s been great to be back, two years seems too long. I’d love to come year every year for racing.
“And also to you Scott, we really miss the women, so please bring back the women to our race. So that would be much appreciated as well.”
Lange hails Mark Allen and tri greats
Lange is a keen student of the game, and as he prepares to bid for a hat-trick of Kona wins he paid tribute to a man who won six titles – the great Mark Allen.
Patrick says he was once inspired by Allen, and is now honoured to call him a friend. The respect is clear, advertised by when Lange immediately apologised to his hero after breaking his Kona run course record a few short years ago.
“I know what it takes to be respectful not just to my opponents but also to the greats of the sport and I think Mark especially did so much for the sport. I think all 10 of us would not sit here, maybe all of you in the room would not sit here, without those great battles they had.
“They really moved the sport forward so much so I’m really grateful to call him [Mark] a friend. Also Dave [Scott], they just keep on inspiring me, pure role models and really grateful for them.”
