Photo: dronepicr (CC BY 2.0)Ironman World Championship
The world championship of triathlon, on Kona's shoreline
October 10, 2026 · Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi Island
Date
Oct 10, 2026
Saturday
Where
Kailua-Kona
swim start: Kailua Pier
Distance
140.6 miles
2.4mi swim / 112mi bike / 26.2mi run
Founded
1978
Kona host since 1981
Once a year, Kailua-Kona's waterfront becomes the center of the endurance-sports world: a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile ride out to Hāwī and back, and a 26.2-mile marathon, all in one day, all under the Kona heat. After several years of a split format between Kona and Nice, France, 2026 brings the men's and women's world championships back together in Kona on the same day for the first time since 2019. It's free to watch from the roadside — and it closes a lot of roads to do it.
The season
Ironman World Championship
Back together in Kona
The world championship spent several recent years split apart — cancelled in 2020, held in St. George, Utah in 2022, then run as separate men's and women's races across two venues and dates (Kona and Nice, France) from 2022 through 2025. For 2026, Ironman has reunited both championship races in Kona on the same day for the first time since 2019, a change organizers say came directly from athletes wanting to race together at what they call the sport's spiritual home.
The course
The day starts with a mass, non-wetsuit ocean swim out and back in Kailua Bay from Kailua Pier. The 112-mile bike leg heads north out of town on Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway to the town of Hāwī and back — hours of exposed lava-field highway, often windy. The marathon starts and finishes on Aliʻi Drive, climbing Palani Road out to Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway before returning to the oceanfront finish line late in the evening, well after dark for the later finishers.
As the story is usually told
The race traces back to a February 18, 1978 event on Oʻahu — not Kona; the championship didn't move to the Big Island until 1981 — organized by Navy Commander John Collins and his wife Judy Collins, combining three existing Oʻahu races (the Waikīkī Roughwater Swim, the Around-Oʻahu Bike Race, and the Honolulu Marathon) into one day. Fifteen athletes started; twelve finished. The popular version of the story frames it as settling a bar argument over which athletes — swimmers, cyclists, or runners — were fittest; Judy Collins has said in interviews the idea to combine the three races was hers, a simpler origin than the legend suggests.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Road closures
Race day closes major roads across the Kona coastline for a large part of the day, including Aliʻi Drive, Palani Road, and stretches of Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway (Hwy 19) toward Hāwī. If you're not there for the race, plan around it — check Ironman's published road-closure map close to race day rather than assuming you can drive across town that day.
Race week
The days before the race bring an athlete village and expo near the pier, and a Parade of Nations down Aliʻi Drive, where competitors march in their national colors. Exact 2026 dates for these aren't set this far out — check ironman.com closer to October.
Where to watch
It's free to spectate from the roadside anywhere along the course — Kailua Pier for the swim start, Aliʻi Drive for the start/finish, or out along Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway for the bike leg. Expect Kona's hotels to be in high demand around race week.
Nearby
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is roughly 2 to 2.5 hours from Kailua-Kona by car.
Book it
Tours & experiences
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Things to Do in Hawaii
Tours, activities & unforgettable experiences
$189+Kilauea Volcano & Stargazing
$189+Visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, see active lava flows, then stargaze at 6,500 feet.
$99+Manta Ray Night Snorkel
$99+Swim with giant manta rays on the Kona Coast — one of Hawaii's most iconic experiences.
$139+Big Island Waterfall Tour
$139+Visit three stunning waterfalls on the Hamakua Coast including Akaka Falls.
Good to know
Ironman World Championship FAQ
When is the 2026 Ironman World Championship?
Saturday, October 10, 2026, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi Island.
Has the Ironman World Championship always been held in Kona?
The race itself was founded on Oʻahu in 1978; the championship moved to the Big Island in 1981. More recently, it split between Kona and Nice, France from 2022 to 2025. 2026 marks the first time since 2019 that both the men's and women's championship races are held together in Kona.
What's the race course?
A 2.4-mile ocean swim out of Kailua Pier, a 112-mile bike ride north to Hāwī and back on Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway, and a 26.2-mile marathon starting and finishing on Aliʻi Drive.
Will roads be closed on race day?
Yes — Aliʻi Drive, Palani Road, and sections of Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway close for much of the day. Check Ironman's official road-closure map close to race day if you're driving in West Hawaiʻi that Saturday.
Can I watch for free?
Yes — spectating along the course is free. Kailua Pier (swim start), Aliʻi Drive (start/finish), and the highway toward Hāwī (bike leg) are all common viewing spots.
How old is the Ironman World Championship?
The first race was held in 1978 on Oʻahu; 2026 will be its 48th year, and its 45th (or so) hosted on Hawaiʻi Island since the 1981 move to Kona.
Plan around it
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