Ironman Kona 2026: Blummenfelt, Laidlow and Iden lead men's field as Løvseth defends title on Saturday

The Ironman World Championship returns to its traditional one-day format in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on Saturday 10 October. For the first time since 2019, the professional men and women will race on the Big Island on the same day.

The men's race will be missing its reigning champion. Norway's Casper Stornes was ruled out after a training crash on the island last month, which leaves former champions Kristian Blummenfelt, Sam Laidlow, Gustav Iden and Patrick Lange among the leading contenders. In the women's race, Norway's Solveig Løvseth defends the title she won on her Kona debut last year.

Back to one day in Kona

In recent seasons the championship was split, with the men and women racing in different places or on different days, including Nice in France. In 2026, everyone races in Kona again. More than 2,500 athletes are expected, including the age-group waves that start after the pros.

The course is the classic one: a 3.8km swim in Kailua Bay, a 180km bike ride north along the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway through the lava fields to Hawi and back, then a 42.2km marathon that goes through the Energy Lab before finishing on Ali'i Drive. Heat, humidity and crosswinds near Hawi often matter as much as fitness.

The pro men start at 6.20am Hawaii time and the pro women ten minutes later. In Malaysia that is 12.20am and 12.30am on Sunday 11 October, so the finishes will come on Sunday morning.

Stornes out after crash

Stornes, who won the 2025 men's title in Nice in 7:51:39, crashed on a training ride on 24 September, two days after arriving in Hawaii. A gust of wind caught his front wheel and threw him over the handlebars, and he broke his collarbone and fractured a vertebra in his lower back. Countryman Gustav Iden, riding behind him, avoided the fall. Stornes said he hopes to return in 2027.

Frenchman Arthur Horseau and Sweden's Rasmus Svenningsson have also withdrawn.

Who could win the men's race

Blummenfelt, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion and 2021 Ironman world champion, comes in strong after a 7:21:24 in Texas and second place at Challenge Roth this year. Laidlow, the 2023 champion, set a Roth course record of 7:21:04 in 2026 and is expected to be one of the strongest on the bike.

Iden won in Kona in 2022, and Germany's Patrick Lange, a three-time champion who holds the course record of 7:35:27 from 2024, is known for strong late runs. Denmark's Magnus Ditlev, runner-up in 2024, has had his season disrupted by illness. Belgium's Marten Van Riel makes his Kona debut.

Løvseth faces a deep women's field

Løvseth won in 2025 in 8:28:27, finishing 35 seconds ahead of Britain's Kat Matthews. Matthews has been runner-up at the world championship three times and holds the fastest run split in Kona history, 2:47:23 from last year.

They will be challenged by 2023 champion Lucy Charles-Barclay, who holds the women's course record of 8:24:31, 2024 champion Laura Philipp of Germany and 2022 champion Chelsea Sodaro of the United States. American Taylor Knibb, the 2026 Ironman 70.3 world champion, dropped out while leading late in the run last year and is back looking for her first Kona title.

How to watch

The race is free to stream on the Ironman YouTube channel and the Ironman Pro Series website, with DAZN also showing it. Kona is the final counting race of the 2026 Ironman Pro Series, so the result will also decide the season-long titles.

Key takeaways

• The 2026 Ironman World Championship is on Saturday 10 October in Kona, with men and women racing on the same day for the first time since 2019.
• Defending men's champion Casper Stornes is out with a broken collarbone and a back fracture after a training crash.
• Blummenfelt, Laidlow, Iden and Lange lead the men's contenders.
• Solveig Løvseth defends the women's title against Matthews, Charles-Barclay, Philipp, Sodaro and Knibb.
• The pros start at 12.20am (men) and 12.30am (women) on Sunday, Malaysia time.

FAQ What time does Ironman Kona 2026 start in Malaysia? The pro men start at 12.20am and the pro women at 12.30am on Sunday 11 October, Malaysia time. Who are the defending champions? Solveig Løvseth (women) and Casper Stornes (men). Stornes will not race because of injury. Where can I watch the Ironman World Championship? It is streamed free on the Ironman YouTube channel and the Ironman Pro Series website, and on DAZN.

Sources: USA Triathlon, 220 Triathlon, TRI247