IRONMAN Switzerland starts ‘Road to Kona 2026’ for Funk and co

The professional qualifying window for the 2026 IRONMAN World Championships in Kona opens this weekend – at least for the men.

The last spots on offer for 2025 for the men and women in Nice and Kona respectively were decided last weekend at IRONMAN Copenhagen and IRONMAN Kalmar.

But next year onwards we’re back to both races being on the Big Island and the first two spots are up for grabs in the male-only pro race at IRONMAN Switzerland on Sunday.

Funk makes early bid

And making an early bid in what will be only his second full-distance race is Frederic Funk.

The German tackled the 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km run for the first time at Challenge Roth in July when he finished fifth behind Sam Laidlow.

And speaking in his latest YouTube vlog, which is embedded below, he says: “I actually decided right in the week after Roth that I wanted to start [the second half of the season] there and I didn’t just want to do some IRONMAN in America or something.

“And yes IRONMAN Switzerland is also the first race that counts towards qualification for Kona in 2026. That means ‘Road to Kona 2026’ has started!

“The recovery after Roth actually went pretty well,” he added.

And that last point was underlined last weekend when Funk warmed up with a victory over middle distance on home roads at the Allgäu Triathlon.

That ticked off some unfinished business too as he had led on the bike there in 2019 before a puncture ended his chances.

Skipper to swerve Switzerland

Funk will wear bib #5, with Frenchman Dylam Magnien, who won IRONMAN Lanzarote in May, in #1.

The full start list is below but note that there’s now no Joe Skipper.

The Brit saw his own hopes ruined by a puncture at IRONMAN Copenhagen last weekend but had this race in the diary as a fallback.

However, writing on Instagram, he revealed a change of plan as he said: “I am entered in Ironman Switzerland this weekend and thought i would do that as a back up race.

“I felt great and thought the form was there [in Copenhagen] so why not make the most of it and have another shot.

“After talking it through since finishing I will not race Switzerland I will come back home and get another 3 week training block in and go all in for the Ironman World Championships in Nice!”

IRONMAN Switzerland provisional start list