IRONMAN Kona 2025: Pictures From a Crazy Day

You couldn’t make this stuff up. From 2022 IRONMAN world champ pulling off the course in front of me, to watching the two leaders who seemingly had the race under control both not finishing the race. To a first-timer to Kona taking the win, to the runner-up coming within 35 seconds after making up two and a half minutes in the last three miles. It will be a day that will go down in history as one of the epic days of IRONMAN racing in Kona. Here are a few shots from the amazing day of racing.

The pro women get underway off the pier in Kailua-Kona. Photos: Kevin Mackinnon

They don’t call her the mermaid for nothing. Lucy Charles-Barclay pulled clear of the field as soon as the cannon went off.

Defending champ (from Nice, anyway) Laura Philipp was thrilled to be in the third chase group, not far behind rival Kat Matthews.

On the way up to Hawi Julie Iemmolo was shown a blue card.

At roughly the same spot Philipp was surprised that the chase group continued to lose time on Knibb and Charles-Barclay.

And at that same spot Chelsea Sodaro would be forced to call it a day after being sick for a few hours.

Charles-Barclay would get a penalty for (accidentally) littering.

Meriam Amara and her guide Celine Bousrez out on the bike course.

After catching Charles-Barclay in Hawi, Taylor Knibb surged ahead while the 2023 champ served her penalty.

Holly Lawrence was all smiles as she rode her way back to the chase group.

Stephanie Clutterbuck generated lots of attention with the announcement of her OnlyFans sponsorship yesterday. She would end up coming off the bike in 11th, but struggled through the marathon and would finish 34th.

Heading into the turnaround on Ali’i Drive it looked like we might see another close run battle between Kat Matthews and Laura Philipp, despite the fact that the pair were roughly 14 minutes back after the bike.

American super-mom Jocelyn McCauley would finish seventh. (There were just 43 seconds between seventh and 10th!)

Knibb pulled ahead as the two leaders headed towards the Energy Lab, but was beginning to show signs of having pushed the limits.

Charles-Barclay was really starting to struggle and would eventually drop out in the Energy Lab stretch of the run course.

After watching the two women ahead of her literally collapse on the course, Lovseth ran her way to the world title, becoming yet another Norwegian who missed the memo about not being able to win an IRONMAN World Championship on a first attempt.

Kat Matthews is greeted at the finish line by husband and running coach Mark. She had the days fastest marathon (2:47:23 – a new run course record) and would end up just 35 seconds behind.

New Zealand’s Hannah Berry had a breakout performance to finish fourth.

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