October 14, 2019, 9:04 AM HST
Photo opportunities abounded in West Hawai‘i on Saturday, Oct. 12 as the 2019 VEGA IRONMAN World Championship took over Kailua-Kona.
Pro athletes and amateurs alike tackled the Pacific Ocean, pedaled up and down along the coast in the Hawai‘i heat and motored down Ali‘i Drive to the finish line, crossing from a little after 2 p.m. until midnight.
Jan Frodeno set a new course record. Anne Haug captured her first title. The Germans swept the top podium spots in the men’s and women’s divisions. And inspirational stories popped up all over the course including that of Roderick Sewell, a double amputee who became an IRONMAN in 2019.
Check out shots from across and above the course below.
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Tim O’Donnell (USA) glides along just above the ocean floor at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. O’Donnell was the fourth athlete out of the water on Saturday, clocking in at 47:38 en route to a second place overall finish on the day. (Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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READY. SET. GO!: Athletes wade into Kailua Bay before embarking on the 2.4-mile ROKA swim course at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. Earlier this year, IRONMAN announced a new swim start protocol in order to decrease athlete density on the bike course and promote competition among the age-group field. (Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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JUST BREATHE: Professional triathlete Lauren Brandon (USA) nears the end of the 2.4-mile swim in Kailua Bay at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE: Roderick Sewell was born with severe leg deformities that would prevent him from walking. Roderick’s mother made the difficult decision to have both of his legs amputated above the knee before his second birthday. Despite moving from shelter to shelter, a seven-year-old Roderick’s pure determination and strong support from Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) led him to pursue athletic goals. (Photo Credit: Donald Miralle for IRONMAN)
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READY. SET. GO!: Athletes wade into Kailua Bay before embarking on the 2.4-mile ROKA swim course at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. Earlier this year, IRONMAN announced a new swim start protocol in order to decrease athlete density on the bike course and promote competition among the age-group field. (Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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SCHOOL OF SWIMMERS: A cluster of athletes paddle through the waves of the Atlantic Ocean on the 2.4-mile ROKA swim course at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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Michael McDonald mounts his bike and prepares to head out onto the 112-mile Ventum Bike Course during the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship. He has raised nearly $400,000 for MusiCares and the IRONMAN Foundation. Michael is the founder of the music management company, Mick Management and Chairman Emeritus of the nonprofit, MusiCares, which he credits with saving his life. While working as a tour manager, McDonald struggled with addiction and spent many mornings hungover, watching broadcasts of the IRONMAN World Championship with “lonely envy.” This year, McDonald turned 50 and marks his 20th year of sobriety. He completed his journey in 12:42:22. (Photo Credit: Tony Svensson/IRONMAN)
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Inspirational mother-daughter duo Team Liza, Beth (bike) and Liza James (chair) race down the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. At the age of six, Liza endured a blow to the head that left her with a traumatic brain injury, non-verbal and unable to walk. Liza, now 23 joins her mother traveling the country, swimming, biking, running and even climbing mountains as they compete together as an inspirational mother-daughter duo (Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE: Roderick Sewell was born with severe leg deformities that would prevent him from walking. Roderick’s mother made the difficult decision to have both of his legs amputated above the knee before his second birthday. Despite moving from shelter to shelter, a seven-year-old Roderick’s pure determination and strong support from Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) led him to pursue athletic goals. (Photo Credit: Donald Miralle for IRONMAN)
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ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE: Roderick Sewell was born with severe leg deformities that would prevent him from walking. Roderick’s mother made the difficult decision to have both of his legs amputated above the knee before his second birthday. Despite moving from shelter to shelter, a seven-year-old Roderick’s pure determination and strong support from Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) led him to pursue athletic goals. (Photo Credit: Donald Miralle for IRONMAN)
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ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE: Roderick Sewell was born with severe leg deformities that would prevent him from walking. Roderick’s mother made the difficult decision to have both of his legs amputated above the knee before his second birthday. Despite moving from shelter to shelter, a seven-year-old Roderick’s pure determination and strong support from Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) led him to pursue athletic goals. (Photo Credit: Donald Miralle for IRONMAN)
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ALI‘I FROM ABOVE: The onlooking crowd erupts as Jan Frodeno (DEU) becomes the first German to capture three IRONMAN World Championship titles crossing the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship finish line on Ali`i Drive in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. (Photo Credit: Donald Miralle/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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SWEET, SWEET VICTORY: Anne Haug (DEU) made it a German sweep as she joined countryman Jan Frodeno as the best in the world at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. Haug posted a masterful run, taking the lead at mile 16 on the HOKA ONE ONE run course and riding her 2:51:07 run split to victory. (Photo Credits: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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SWEET, SWEET VICTORY: Anne Haug (DEU) made it a German sweep as she joined countryman Jan Frodeno as the best in the world at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. Haug posted a masterful run, taking the lead at mile 16 on the HOKA ONE ONE run course and riding her 2:51:07 run split to victory. (Photo Credits: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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MASTER CLASS: Jan Frodeno (DEU) captured his third IRONMAN World Championship title as he took top honors at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. Frodeno, the 2015 and 2016 world champion, set a new course best with a finishing time of 7:51:13. (Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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MASTER CLASS: Jan Frodeno (DEU) captured his third IRONMAN World Championship title as he took top honors at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. Frodeno, the 2015 and 2016 world champion, set a new course best with a finishing time of 7:51:13. (Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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MASTER CLASS: Jan Frodeno (DEU) captured his third IRONMAN World Championship title as he took top honors at the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, Oct. 12. Frodeno, the 2015 and 2016 world champion, set a new course best with a finishing time of 7:51:13. (Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
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New Zealander Wayne Skipworth breaks into a traditional Haka to celebrate accomplishing his dream of completing the IRONMAN World Championship. Since 2009, Wayne has run IRONMĀORI, an initiative and club set up to improve health and fitness amongst the Maori community. (Photo Credit: Tony Svensson/IRONMAN)
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