{"id":17452,"date":"2022-09-15T14:14:18","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T12:14:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.220triathlon.com\/?p=112378"},"modified":"2022-09-15T14:30:30","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T12:30:30","slug":"will-we-see-records-fall-in-kona","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/rss_feed\/will-we-see-records-fall-in-kona\/","title":{"rendered":"Will we see records fall in Kona? \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Tim Heming\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 15 September 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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A first visit to the Big Island for three years, a host of new and established contenders, and two days of racing. If that wasn\u2019t enough to get your lava flowing, there\u2019s another aspect to consider: Will the Kona records be smashed too?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Much has changed since Jan Frodeno<\/a><\/strong> set the fastest time in Hawaii of 7:51:13 in 2019<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Firstly, we no longer have the big German<\/strong><\/a>, at least not for another 12 months. Secondly, even though we\u2019ve not yet returned to the Pacific island, the fastest time in the Ironman World Championship has been broken again thanks to Kristian Blummenfelt<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s 7:49:15 in St. George in May<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Racing across the board has just got hotter. On the men\u2019s side, Blummenfelt posted 7:21:11 on debut in Cozumel<\/a><\/strong>, Gustav Iden<\/strong><\/a> a 7:42:56 in Florida, Alistair Brownlee<\/strong><\/a> took the tape in 7:38:47 in Ironman Sweden<\/strong><\/a> and Magnus Ditlev a 7:35:48<\/a><\/strong> at July\u2019s Challenge Roth.<\/p>\n

None of these names have yet to perform in Kona.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s without considering Frodeno\u2019s own Tri Battle Royale<\/a><\/strong> in Germany last year or Blummenfelt and Joe Skipper <\/a>smashing the 7hr mark<\/a><\/strong> in the Phoenix Foundation\u2019s Sub7 Project in June.<\/p>\n

On the women\u2019s side, Germany\u2019s Laura Philipp<\/strong><\/a> came within a couple of seconds of Chrissie Wellington<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s longstanding iron-distance record with 8:18:20 in Ironman Hamburg<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

In Roth, Anne Haug<\/strong><\/a> has delivered two spectacular performances, and Daniela\u00a0Ryf<\/strong><\/a> also finished in 8:34:58<\/strong><\/a> to regain her Ironman crown (her fifth) in St. George.<\/p>\n

So, the racing has been hotting up, but enough to predict records tumbling in Hawaii? Let\u2019s break it down\u2026<\/p>\n

The Kona 3.8km swim<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Currently held by Jan Sibbersen (46:29) and Lucy Charles-Barclay<\/strong><\/a> (48:14), both in 2018. Sibbersen set out to deliberately break the swim record that year and jogged through the marathon.<\/p>\n

Josh Amberger, who has a time 40 seconds slower from 2017 and is likely to be the early frontrunner, could target it to help spread the field early and earn him a nice sponsor bonus.<\/p>\n

Charles-Barclay looks to be the only one capable of breaking her own record, but it would be the furthest thing from her mind. After three consecutive runner-up spots in Kona, full focus will be on getting top spot.<\/p>\n

The Kona 180km bike<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Daniela Ryf en route to the fastest women\u2019s bike time at the Ironman World Championships in 2018. (Credit: Nils Nilsen\/Getty Images for Ironman)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Ryf\u2019s record of 8:26:18 from 2018<\/strong><\/a> is 12mins faster than any woman has biked on the Queen K course and probably the only woman capable of lowering it is the Swiss.<\/p>\n

Whether that happens will depend as much on the conditions as her form, which \u2013 after successes in St. George and the Collins Cup<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 looks to be approaching her best.<\/p>\n

The men\u2019s bike record (4:09:06) is held by Cam Wurf<\/strong><\/a>, again in the record-busting race of 2018. Wurf has since spent two years at INEOS Grenadiers and will believe he can chop off more.<\/p>\n

His preference would be for a windier day, slower times and bigger gaps, but either way he knows to have any chance of grabbing a podium place he must bike the house down.<\/p>\n

The Kona 42.2km run<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Only one male triathlete lining up makes the top 10 marathon times list in Hawaii and that\u2019s Patrick Lange<\/strong><\/a>. The German\u2019s 2:39:45 when he finished third in 2016 is the fastest, and if he wants to land a third Kona title that will probably have to be beaten.<\/p>\n

Unlike previous years though, Lange doesn\u2019t look the only one capable. Undoubtedly better aided by shoe technology since our last visit to Hawaii, Blummenfelt and Iden lead a clutch of triathletes capable of running in the 2.30s. If there\u2019s one record likely to go, it\u2019s this one.<\/p>\n

One the women\u2019s side Mirinda Carfrae\u2019s 2:50:26 from 2014<\/strong><\/a> is the current mark. Germany\u2019s Haug heads a handful including Philipp and Kat Matthews<\/strong><\/a> who could beat it on their best days \u2013 and probably will have to if Ryf is to be deposed.<\/p>\n

The overall Kona finishing time\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s no doubt conditions have been kinder in recent Hawaii races, and if is does blow a hot hoolie then any record times will be blown away, too.<\/p>\n

If not, Frodeno\u2019s 7:51:13 time could go if we get head-to-head racing deep into the marathon. The Norwegians seem the most likely, but Brownlee, Lange, Skipper and Ditlev could all be capable.<\/p>\n

Ryf\u2019s women\u2019s record of 8:26:18 from 2018 looks a tougher proposition. Five of the top 10 women\u2019s times come from that race, with so much of the damage done through that 4:26:07 bike split.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a reminder of just how formidable the Swiss is at her best, and if it\u2019s a record to go, it\u2019s Ryf that seems the most likely.<\/p>\n

Top image credit:<\/strong> Sean M. Haffey\/Getty Images for Ironman<\/p>\n