You’re getting this as part of our Kona Week daily newsletters. After the race, we’ll be back to just 1x/week on Wednesdays.
LFG.
Someone, who was going through their first Full Kona Experience, said to me yesterday morning: OK, but I’m ready for the race to just be tomorrow.
Ditto.
I’ve been focused so much on the events and the activations and the gossip and everything that goes on around the race — the stuff that makes up Kona Week — that I had started to forget: Oh yeah, there’s also a race happening. Isn’t that why we’re here afterall.
But what do I need to know really. Everyone looks good, everyone looks fit, everyone’s lying to you or to themselves about how this is going to go.
Women: Lucy CB will lead the swim. At some point Taylor Knibb will catch her. How long can they hold on, will anyone bridge up, what kind of gap do they have into T2 over Kat or Laura or Julie or whoever. Tell me what I didn’t get right there.
Men: The group out of T1 will be at least 15 people. Sam Laidlow will have to go off the front on the bike if he wants to win. That’s his card and he will play it. Someone will try to go with him. How long can they hold on, will anyone bridge up, what kind of gap do they have into T2 over Kristian and Gustav or whoever. Tell me what I didn’t get right there.
Don’t forget to enter our podium prediction contest to win a random assortment of Things in Kelly’s Office + two brand new pairs of Roka’s top-of-the-line R2 goggles.
For the record: My men’s picks are probably Kristian, Gustav, Rudy VB. My women’s picks are trickier because I do think Taylor and Lucy are both ready to fucking murder anyone for the win, but Solveig seems so relaxed and I wouldn’t underestimate a pissed-off Chelsea right now. Probably it’s something like: Lucy CB, Solveig, Kat, Taylor, Chelsea. Or not.
🥵 The Ironman pro press conference was literally so hot — because they had built a wall on one side of the tent, which blocked any kind of breeze from coming through — that Gustav sweated through his shirt and all the poor athletes went bolting for cold water and AC as soon as the mic wasn’t even set down. (Ironman had the men sit in the audience through the women and then the women sit through the men, and everyone hated all of it.)
🎤 If you ddn’t watch the pro press conference, here’s what they said.
🌊 It also wasn’t our imagination: The locals confirmed for me that yesterday was deeply hotter + humid-er. The waves were also epic-ly huge and knocked over all of the banners on the road. I was told it has something to do with the high tide + wind + weather all hitting at the same time. And should be better today. Saturday also should be rain at some point on the bike — so the humidity will either break or just steam up into an awful stew on the run. #sofun
Whatever we think, it’s time to do this thing now
Men start at 6:20 a.m. in Hawaii tomorrow on Saturday/9:20 a.m. PT/ 12:20 p.m. ET — and the women are ten minutes later at 6:30 a.m. (Bonus bet: How many pro men will Lucy catch?)
WATCH: On Ironman’s Youtube or on DAZN — and coverage actually starts at 4:30 a.m. in Hawaii in case you want to watch them be body-marked for some reason. (The new split quad screen feeds are available on Smart TVs.)
Thanks to our sponsors
Salomon - A big thank-you for flying me out this week as they work to build an understanding of the Kona experience and the triathlon community. Deeply appreciate the effort they’re putting in. And have enjoyed their Aero Blaze 4 as my go-to shoe all week.
Roka - And the Roka R2 goggles have been excellent for open water sighting and comfort. Probably a reason so many top athletes use them.