Since the first female athlete entered the IRONMAN World Championships in 1979, women have shared the stage with their male counterparts. The systematic prioritization of male experiences in athletics (and beyond, for that matter) put a damper on the female perspective. Until now, that is. The 2023 IRONMAN Championships intentionally amplified their voices by separating the field. This year, women had Kona, Hawaii, all to themselves.

Male competitors took to Nice, France, for their World Championship experience in September. They’ll trade off with the women so that each group still gets to soak in Kona’s IRONMAN legacy on alternating years. The swap also protects the longevity of Kona as a host location. Triathlons’ steady growth has allowed more competitors than ever to appreciate the “Kona Magic” that ignites the big island on race week. But the big island still isn’t all that big — especially when we’re talking about thousands of competitors and their support systems all in one place at one time. Thinning the crowd lessens the societal and environmental impact.

The inaugural women’s-only World Championships, held Oct. 14, marked the start of a new era for IRONMAN. Short of changing their name to Ironwoman, it’s an actual show of support for equity when there’s a whole lot more to be seen in the athletic sphere. The participants felt a shift in the works as a result.

HOKA team members Sarah Crowley and Els Visser brought a renewed sense of validation with them into the race. Crowley stepped up to the start line after spending the past eight weeks recovering from a bike crash. While it threw off her training leading up to the Championships, the female-centric focus allowed her to share that story to put her race in context. She feels more confident in her “back to basics” tactics that have brought her back from injury just in time.

Visser, who works as a surgeon alongside her professional triathlete career, appreciates “getting the exposure we deserve, and not worrying about mixing up with the men,” she said. She does still believe in the power of a united front across the genders, and will miss “sharing the nervousness during race week and making memories together” with the male competitors, but believes that putting women in the limelight gives them more of a chance to tell their life stories. Those stories, Visser says, are what spark motivation among other women.

Everyone who makes it to Kona has one to tell. Each of them is more than “just” an athlete. That’s part of what makes these women such incredible performers. There’s a deep drive spurring them on and a bigger meaning behind the process of training up for the feat. Purpose gives them power.

Podium Results

The stories that these women have carried with them along the way to the IRONMAN World Championships only make their performances all the more impressive. Lucy Charles-Barclay won the day and set a new course record with a finish time of 8:24:31.

Anne Haug followed close behind at 8:27:33, and Laura Philipp rounded out the podium in 8:32:55. Charles-Barclay has taken second at four previous IRONMAN World Championships and led the race from the very first stroke of the swim leg. Haug and Philipp battled a number of other competitors, including 25 year old Olympic-bound Taylor Knibb, for silver and bronze.

Beyond the Podium

No matter the result, every competitor celebrates the significance of being a part of IRONMAN history. Sara Whittingham, who’s received a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis since her last Championship experience back in 2002, felt right at home among the women here.

“To be surrounded by so many incredibly strong women who also have incredible stories and have overcome countless obstacles of their own is an honor,” she said. “IRONMAN has always done an amazing job with including women in this sport, including equal prize money for the men’s and women’s top finishers, but this move will encourage even more women to dream big and aim for Kona.”

That translates to even more stories for Whittingham and others to find fellowship in.

Beth and Liza James, a mother-daughter duo who’ve competed together ever since an accident left Liza James with a traumatic brain injury, also see value in the increased attention that the new race format offers to female triathletes. “We hope our participation at a women’s only race will further highlight female physically challenged individuals and teams,” they say, “and demonstrate that women can achieve whatever they set their heart and mind to.”

The positive energy wasn’t just reserved for competitors either. HOKA, the title sponsor for the running leg of the IRONMAN World Championships, tapped into the momentum through their athletes on the ground.

“We are thrilled to see our female athletes getting the attention they deserve,” said vice president of global marketing Erika Gabrielli. “The spotlight was on them this weekend, which provided a real chance to show women across the world the joy, community and personal achievement that comes from participating in an IRONMAN World Championship.”

What’s Next for IRONMAN?

Men and women will continue to compete in separate World Championship events moving forward. Opportunities for female competitors to take part in the Championships will only grow from here as the triathlete community adjusts to the new structure. IRONMAN also just unveiled the Pro Series, a program that will create a circuit of six full-distance and nine 70.3 races with a $1.7 million pool payout to be divided up among the top professional male and female participants. The series, which is slated to start in the spring of 2024, aims to provide more financial security to triathletes across both genders.

Combined with the uncoupling of competitors at the World Championships, the Pro Series demonstrates IRONMAN’s commitment to building a sustainable future for triathlon. The financial and experiential opportunities abound for triathletes moving forward. Here’s to a bigger and brighter future for triathletes everywhere — especially the women now finding the inspiration to take their first steps, cycles, and strokes in the wake of the first all-female IRONMAN World Championship.

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Lucie Hanes is an avid writer and adventurer on rock and trail with a passion for sharing her outdoor enthusiasms through journalism and mental strength consultation.