Ultraman (endurance challenge)
Ultraman is a three-day, 515 km (320 mile) multisport race modelled on the one held annually on the Big Island of Hawaii which is now called the Ultraman World Championship. "Ultraman" is a branding for events affiliated with the Hawaii original. Each 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 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. Ultraman launched in early 2014 in the Central Florida region and in 2015 was also launched in Australia.
We came together as strangers, competed as friends, we part as brothers and sisters.
— Gerry van de Wint
Results
| Year | Sex | Place | Athlete | Age | Nationality | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Men | 1 | Kurt Madden | 28 |  | 21:41:02 |
| Women | 9 (overall) | Ardis Bow | 27 | | 26:57:45 | |
| 1984 | Men | 1 | Scott Molina | 24 | | 24:49:01 |
| Women | 13 (overall) | Lyn Brooks | 36 | | 33:15:24 | |
| 1985 | Men | 1 | Kurt Madden | 30 | | 22:11:04 |
| Women | 3 (overall) | Ardis Bow | 29 | | 25:44:51 | |
| 1986 | Men | 1 | Jim Freim | 40 | | 25:43:21 |
| Women | 23 (overall) | Sherri Wellis | 38 | | 33:31:19 | |
| 1988 | Men | 1 | Gary Shields | 33 | | 24:42:01 |
| Women | 18 (overall) | Manako Mizuntani | 28 |  | 35:41:14 | |
| 1989 | Men | 1 | Gary Shields | 34 | | 23:14:56 |
| Women | 8 (overall) | Tina Bischoff | 31 | | 25:45:51 | |
| 1990 | Men | 1 | Gary Shields | 35 | | 22:19:16 |
| Women | 25 (overall) | Angelika Castaneda | 47 | | 31:27:45 | |
| 1992 | Men | 1 | Don Newman | 33 | | 26:20:23 |
| Women | - | - | -- | --:--:-- | ||
| 1993 | Men | 1 | Hans-Juergen Schley | 37 |  | 25:50:38 |
| Women | 13 (overall) | Hiroe Fukushima | 25 | | 34:19:52 | |
| 1994 | Men | 1 | Daniel Schallmo | 37 | | 23:50:34 |
| Women | - | - | -- | --:--:-- | ||
| 1995 | Men | 1 | Kevin Cutjar | 29 |  | 23:19:39 |
| Women | 22 (overall) | Tracy Preston | 25 |  | 32:25:37 | |
| 1996 | Men | 1 | Erik Seedhouse | 32 | | 22:51:36 |
| Women | - | - | -- | ---:--:-- | ||
| 1997 | Men | 1 | Peter Kotland | 25 | | 21:52:51 |
| Women | 14 (overall) | Tracy Preston | 27 | | 34:08:00 | |
| 1998 | Men | 1 | Holger "Holgie" Spiegel | 26 | | 21:41:22 |
| Women | 19 (overall) | Tracy Preston | 28 | | 30:53:03 | |
| 1999 | Men | 1 | John Nickles | 35 | | 22:46:27 |
| Women | 17 (overall) | Linda Bialla | 36 | | 29:19:00 | |
| 2000 | Men | 1 | Uros Velepec | 34 |  | 22:15:08 |
| Women | 10 (overall) | Monica Fernandez | 33 |  | 28:08:09 | |
| 2001 | Men | 1 | Uros Velepec | 34 | | 22:44:30 |
| Women | 10 (overall) | Monica Fernandez | 33 | | 27:56:54 | |
| 2002 | Men | 1 | Gordo Byrn | 33 |  | 23:24:56 |
| Women | 12 (overall) | Conny Dauben | 27 | | 28:32:59 | |
| 2003 | Men | 1 | Alexandre Ribeiro | 38 |  | 22:20:26 |
| Women | 6 (overall) | Shanna Armstrong | 29 | | 27:31:51 | |
| 2004 | Men | 1 | Jonas Colting | 31 |  | 21:41:49 |
| Women | 16 (overall) | Lauren Fithian | 46 | | 32:03:16 | |
| 2005 | Men | 1 | Alexandre Ribeiro | 40 | | 24:32:28 |
| Women | 4 (overall) | Shanna Armstrong | 31 | | 28:03:34 | |
| 2006 | Men | 1 | Jeff Landauer | 39 | | 24:30:47 |
| Women | 9 (overall) | Shanna Armstrong | 32 | | 28:13:11 | |
| 2007 | Men | 1 | Jonas Colting | 34 | | 21:59:44 |
| Women | 8 (overall) | Shanna Armstrong | 32 | | 26:43:24 | |
| 2008 | Men | 1 | Alexandre Ribeiro | 43 | | 21:49:38 |
| Women | 10 (overall) | Shanna Armstrong | 34 | | 26:25:03 | |
| 2009 | Men | 1 | Alexandre Ribeiro | 44 | | 22:10:12 |
| Women | 7 (overall) | Shanna Armstrong | 35 | | 25:48:46 | |
| 2010 | Men | 1 | Mike Le Roux | 34 | | 21:55:57 |
| Women | 5 (overall) | Amber Monforte | 32 | | 24:07:11 | |
| 2011 | Men | 1 | Alexandre Ribeiro | 46 | | 22:09:54 |
| Women | 6 (overall) | Amber Monforte | 33 | | 24:42:02 | |
| 2012[1] | Men | 1 | Alexandre Ribeiro | 47 | | 22:51:12 |
| Women | 3 (overall) | Amber Monforte | 34 | | 25:29:09 | |
| 2013[2] | Men | 1 | Miro Kregar | 51 | | 23:42:07 |
| Women | 3 (overall) | Hillary Biscay | 35 | | 24:30:50 | |
| 2014[2] | Men | 1 | Tobias Winnemoeller | 35 | | 23:28:14 |
| Women | 7 (overall) | Yasuko Miyazaki | 37 | | 25:40:49 | |
| 2015[2] | Men | 1 | Mike Coughlin | 42 | | 21:44:18 |
| Women | 15 (overall) | Staci Studer | 42 | | 28:29:28 | |
| 2016 | Men | 1 | Inaki De La Parra | 33 |  |
22:34:18 |
| Women | 6 (overall) | Kate Bevilaqua | 39 | |
24:44:04 | |
| 2017[3] | Men | 1 | Rob Gray | 41 | |
22:19:49 |
| Women | 9 (overall) | Steffi Steinberg | 36 | |
26:02:27 |
Ultraman Events
As of November 2013, there are three existing Ultraman Triathlons:
- Ultraman Hawaii, held on the big island of Hawaii on Thanksgiving weekend at the end of November; Started in 1983.
- Ultraman Florida, held in the central region of the state of Florida; Starts in 2014
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
- ↑ "2012 Day 3 Overall Results". Ultraman World Championships. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Results: Ultraman World Championships". Ultraman World Championships. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
- ↑ Slowtwitch.com. "Rob Gray, Steffi Steinberg take Ultraman Worlds Overall". Slowtwitch.com. Retrieved 2017-11-29.