Ultraman (endurance challenge)

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Big Island
Hawaii course map

The Ultraman World Championship is a three-day, 320 mile (515-km) annual endurance race held on the Big Island of Hawaii. The race is divided into three stages over three days: The first is a 6.2-mile (10-km) ocean swim from Kailua Bay to Keauhou Bay, followed by a 90-mile (145-km) cross-country bike ride, with vertical climbs that total 6,000 feet. Stage two is a 171.4-mile (276-km) bike ride from Volcanoes National Park to Kohala Village Inn in Hawi, with total vertical climbs of 4,000 feet. Stage three is a 52.4-mile(84-km) double-marathon, which starts at Hawi and finishes on the beach at the Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area. Each stage must be completed within 12 hours or less. The swim portion of stage one must be completed in 5.5 hours or less. Participants who do not reach the finish lines within the time limits are disqualified.

This event attracts athletes who seek to explore the extreme in physical and mental abilities. The race is limited to 40 athletes on an invitation-only basis and attracts participants from around the world, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia and the United States. Racers must have reached their 20th birthday prior to the start of stage one. Each racer must be accompanied by an individual support team of at least two people over the entire course. Many support team members are volunteers from the Big Island community.

History

The first Ultraman Triathlon was held in 1983 and organized by Curtis Tyler, Alex Smith, and Conrad Will. Among the group Curtis Tyler served as original race director with the goal of having more than just a competition but an event which focused on the guiding principles of Hawaiian culture.... "aloha" (love), "ohana" (family), and "kokua" (help). In 1992 Tyler turned over Ultraman to Jane Bockus on the condition that there never be prize money. Jane Bockus often referred to as "Ultra Mom", has kept the event the same with the exception of a course change in the years 2001 & 2002 with a start and finish in Kailua-Kona instead of the around the Big Island format. Popularity of the previous format won over and things have changed little since.

In 1993 a second Ultraman was organized in Canada (Penticton, British Columbia) which now serves as a qualifier event to gain entrance to Ultraman World Championships. A third event Ultraman United Kingdom began in 2011 and was held in Wales for three years. A fourth Ultraman is to launch in early 2014 in Central Florida region. There will likely be another event added in 2015.

“ We came together as strangers, competed as friends, we part as brothers and sisters. ”
 
— Gerry van de Wint

Results

Ultraman swimmer off the coast of Kailua-Kona with escort
The fastest runners will complete the 52.4 mile double marathon under seven hours
Year Gender Place Athlete Age Nationality Time
1983 Men 1 Kurt Madden 28  United States 21:41:02
Women 9 (overall) Ardis Bow 27  United States 26:57:45
1984 Men 1 Scott Molina 24  New Zealand 24:49:01
Women 13 (overall) Lyn Brooks 36  United States 33:15:24
1985 Men 1 Kurt Madden 30  United States 22:11:04
Women 3 (overall) Ardis Bow 29  United States 25:44:51
1986 Men 1 Jim Freim 40  United States 25:43:21
Women 23 (overall) Sherri Wellis 38  United States 33:31:19
1988 Men 1 Gary Shields 33  United States 24:42:01
Women 18 (overall) Manako Mizuntani 28  Japan 35:41:14
1989 Men 1 Gary Shields 34  United States 23:14:56
Women 8 (overall) Tina Bischoff 31  United States 25:45:51
1990 Men 1 Gary Shields 35  United States 22:19:16
Women 25 (overall) Angelika Castaneda 47  United States 31:27:45
1992 Men 1 Don Newman 33  United States 26:20:23
Women - - -- --:--:--
1993 Men 1 Hans-Juergen Schley 37  Germany 25:50:38
Women 13 (overall) Hiroe Fukushima 25  Japan 34:19:52
1994 Men 1 Daniel Schallmo 37  Germany 23:50:34
Women - - -- --:--:--
1995 Men 1 Kevin Cutjar 29  Canada 23:19:39
Women 22 (overall) Tracy Preston 25  Canada 32:25:37
1996 Men 1 Erik Seedhouse 32  Canada 22:51:36
Women - - -- ---:--:--
1997 Men 1 Peter Kotland 25  United States 21:52:51
Women 14 (overall) Tracy Preston 27  Canada 34:08:00
1998 Men 1 Holger "Holgie" Spiegel 26  Germany 21:41:22
Women 19 (overall) Tracy Preston 28  Canada 30:53:03
1999 Men 1 John Nickles 35  United States 22:46:27
Women 17 (overall) Linda Bialla 36  United States 29:19:00
2000 Men 1 Uros Velepec 34  Slovenia 22:15:08
Women 10 (overall) Monica Fernandez 33  Guatemala 28:08:09
2001 Men 1 Uros Velepec 34  Slovenia 22:44:30
Women 10 (overall) Monica Fernandez 33  Guatemala 27:56:54
2002 Men 1 Gordo Byrn 33  New Zealand 23:24:56
Women 12 (overall) Conny Dauben 27  Germany 28:32:59
2003 Men 1 Alexandre Ribeiro 38  Brazil 22:20:26
Women 6 (overall) Shanna Armstrong 29  United States 27:31:51
2004 Men 1 Jonas Colting 31  Sweden 21:41:49
Women 16 (overall) Lauren Fithian 46  United States 32:03:16
2005 Men 1 Alexandre Ribeiro 40  Brazil 24:32:28
Women 4 (overall) Shanna Armstrong 31  United States 28:03:34
2006 Men 1 Jeff Landauer 39  United States 24:30:47
Women 9 (overall) Shanna Armstrong 32  United States 28:13:11
2007 Men 1 Jonas Colting 34  Sweden 21:59:44
Women 8 (overall) Shanna Armstrong 32  United States 26:43:24
2008 Men 1 Alexandre Ribeiro 43  Brazil 21:49:38
Women 10 (overall) Shanna Armstrong 34  United States 26:25:03
2009 Men 1 Alexandre Ribeiro 44  Brazil 22:10:12
Women 7 (overall) Shanna Armstrong 35  United States 25:48:46
2010 Men 1 Mike Le Roux 34  Australia 21:55:57
Women 5 (overall) Amber Monforte 32  United States 24:07:11
2011 Men 1 Alexandre Ribeiro 46  Brazil 21:55:57
Women 6 (overall) Amber Monforte 33  United States 24:42:02
2012[1] Men 1 Alexandre Ribeiro 47  Brazil 22:51:12
Women 3 (overall) Amber Monforte 34  United States 25:29:09

Ultraman Events

As of November 2013, there are three existing Ultraman Triathlons:

Ultraman Canada

Ultraman Canada takes place in and around the Okanagan and Similkameen regions of British Columbia.

Gallery

  • Swim escorts prior to Stage One 6.2 mile swim at Kaiakeakua Beach

  • The Stage Three 52.4 mile is mostly run on the Queen Kaahumany "Queen K" Highway which must be completed in under 12 hours

  • Swimmer with required escort

  • Frontrunners of Stage Two 171 mile bike followed by a media vehicle along the Red Road

  • Participants gather in a circle with support crews and staff in an outer circle before 52.4 mile run

  • Ruth Wildman, Race Director Jane Bockus, Assistant Race Director Sheryl Cobb, and Head Mechanic Dave Cobb

  • Final stretch of 52.4 mile run at the old airport. Participants frequently complete the journey with family, friends, and support crew

  • The energy of finishing an Ultraman

  • Finishers are awarded a lei from Jane Bockus

  • Some participants use family members for support crew adding to the ohana

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2012 Day 3 Overall Results". Ultraman World Championships. Retrieved November 26, 2012. 

External links

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