We are just over two weeks out from triathlon’s 2024 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, and now it all feels very real with the official start list announced.

A galaxy of long-course stars will assemble on the ‘Big Island’ to do battle for the most famous prize in the sport, and what a beauty it should be. The official start list has 55 names on it, including a number of former champions – it’s a tantalising mix.

Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden – champions in 2021 and 2022 respectively – are back after their Paris 2024 bids and ready to do battle on the most iconic course in triathlon on Saturday October 26.

Reigning champion Sam Laidlow will provide the stiffest of opposition, after his breakthrough second behind in Iden in 2022, followed by that spectacular success in home soil in Nice last year.

Two-time Kona king Patrick Lange once again bids to complete a hat-trick of IRONMAN World Championship victories after finishing second on the French Riviera in 2023, while the fearsome Dane Magnus Ditlev looks to improve on his third place.

These superstars are just the tip of the iceberg in a deep field which also includes Canadian superstar Lionel Sanders – who has a best of second place back in 2017.

The British interest comes via David McNamee – third twice in Kona in the past – and recent IRONMAN Frankfurt sensation Kieran Lindars.

IRONMAN Kona World Championship start list

The official start list for Kona in 2024 is as follows:

Bib Number	Athlete	Country
1	Sam Laidlow	FRA
2	Patrick Lange	DEU
3	Magnus Ditlev	DNK
4	Gustav Iden	NOR
5	Kristian Blummenfelt	NOR
6	Rudy Von Berg	USA
7	Leon Chevalier	FRA
8	Arthur Horseau	FRA
9	Bradley Weiss	ZAF
10	Gregory Barnaby	ITA
11	Robert Wilkowiecki	POL
12	Clément Mignon	FRA
14	Matt Burton	AUS
15	Rasmus Svenningsson	SWE
16	Stenn Goetstouwers	BEL
17	Trevor Foley	USA
18	Antonio Benito López	ESP
19	Michael Weiss	AUT
20	Sam Appleton	AUS
21	Denis Chevrot	FRA
22	Pieter Heemeryck	BEL
23	Daniel Bækkegård	DNK
24	Reinaldo Colucci	BRA
25	Steven McKenna	AUS
27	Matt Hanson	USA
28	Arnaud Guilloux	FRA
29	Jackson Laundry	CAN
30	Chris Leiferman	USA
31	Robert Kallin	SWE
32	Matthew Marquardt	USA
33	Paul Schuster	DEU
34	Jonas Hoffman	DEU
35	Kristian Høgenhaug	DNK
36	Andre Lopes	BRA
37	Braden Currie	NZL
38	Mathias Petersen	DNK
39	Lionel Sanders	CAN
40	Thor Bendix Madsen	DNK
41	Nick Thompson	AUS
42	Tristan Olij	NED
43	Mike Phillips	NZL
44	Jason Pohl	CAN
45	Tomasz Szala	POL
46	David McNamee	GBR
47	Kieran Lindars	GBR
48	Menno Koolhaas	NLD
49	Kacper Stepniak	POL
50	Finn Große-Freese	DEU
51	Ben Hamilton	NZL
52	Leonard Arnold	DEU
53	Ben Kanute	USA
54	Cameron Wurf	AUS
55	Dylan Magnien	FRA
56	Igor Amorelli	BRA

When is the IRONMAN World Championship?

The big race takes place in Kona, Hawaii on Saturday October 26. We’ll provide full details of how to watch live as soon as they are confirmed.

What are the distances?

Triathlon distances vary dependent on what the race is, but the Ironman/full distance is the Holy Grail for most athletes.

They start with a 2.4-mile swim, before moving onto the bike for a ride which lasts a brutal 112 miles. Then they finish off by running a marathon. In Kona, this all happens with the added problem of absolutely brutal heat.

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