Ford Ironman World Championship Courses

Swim (2.4 miles/3.86 km)

The swim course is an elongated rectangle that is more than one mile long and 100 yards wide. It starts on the east side of Kailua Pier, goes south to the turnaround vessel and returns to the pier. Athletes must swim in a clockwise direction, keep all marker buoys on their right and swim around the turnaround vessel. The start line is located in the water approximately 60 yards from

shore. The swim finish line will be accentuated by one or more colorful “targets.” Lane lines will mark the channel to the swim exit. Even with these race day targets, it is highly recommended that for training and even on race day, athletes use the King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel as a reference.

The water temperature is expected to be 79 degrees Fahrenheit. There is usually no surf, but athletes may encounter small swells parallel to the course. Wind chop does not usually occur early in the morning. Currents vary, but are usually weak when moving across the course.

Bike (112 miles/180.2 km)

The bike course begins as athletes exit the transition area, located at Kailua Pier. Athletes will travel up Palani Road to Kuakini Highway then left on to Kuakini Highway (toward the Old Airport Park). Athletes will next make a right turn on to Makala Boulevard traveling toward the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway. Athletes turn right on the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway to Palani Road and make a right turn on to Palani Road. (Please note:the Palani Road descent is a NO PASS ZONE. Penalties will be issued to aggressive cyclists.) Athletes make a left turn on to Kuakini Highway to Kahakai Estates Subdivision and return back along Kuakini to Palani Road. Athletes turn right up Palani and then left on to the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway and travel north to Hawi. Along the route, the terrain is rolling with several quarter- to one-mile hills that reach a maximum grade of about 6 percent (six foot rise for each 100 feet of distance).

The bike turnaround is located in Hawi and is one of the official checkpoints on the course. After the turnaround, athletes will be headed back toward town along the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway, all the way to Makala Boulevard. Athletes turn right on Makala Boulevard to Kuakini Highway and turn left on Kuakini Highway to Palani Road. Finally, athletes turn right on Palani Road and continue to the transition area. The first aid station is located 15.2 miles out and additional aid stations will be located approximately every seven miles after that along the bike course.

Aid Stations

There will be 11 aid stations along the bike course offering:

Ironman PERFORM sports drink
Water
PowerBars
PowerBar Gels
Bananas

Run (26.2 miles/42.2 km)

To begin the marathon, athletes will exit transition and travel up Palani Road then right on to Kuakini

Highway to Hualalai Road. Athletes turn right on Hualalai Road then left on to Ali’i Drive, continuing south on Ali’i Drive to St. Peters Church near Kahalu’u Beach. This is the run turnaround and one of the checkpoints on the run course. After completing the turnaround, athletes head north on Ali’i Drive to Hualalai Road. Athletes turn right on Hualalai Road to Kuakini Highway and then turn left. Proceeding north on Kuakini Highway to Palani Road, athletes turn right on Palani Road to Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway. Athletes travel left on to the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway to Natural Energy Road at the Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii Authority (NELHA); travel in and out of Natural Energy Road and back onto the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway toward town. Athletes turn right on Palani Road, left on Kuakini Highway, right on Hualalai and right on Ali’i Drive to the finish line! Aid stations will be located approximately one mile apart along the course.

There will be aid stations every mile on the run course offering:

Ironman PERFORM sports drink
Water
PowerBars
PowerBar Gels
Fruit
Cola