LANDMARKS OF THE KONA SWIM COURSE: A GUIDE TO THE IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP’S OPENING METERS.
By Samantha Murphy of Evolve Coaching Systems
We are rapidly approaching Championship season and the start of the most iconic race in triathlon, Kona. What makes Kona stand apart from any other race in the circuit? Kona’s unique geology and weather, and the way the island itself tests each individual on the day. On paper, Kona is not the most challenging course in the IRONMAN lineup. Certainly, there are courses that offer tougher technical rides and more elevation on the bike and run. But no course combines the legendary environment & landscape, the loneliness and heat that can be felt on the Queen K, and the closing kilometers down Ali’i Drive.
Standing at the starting line in Kona can be an overwhelming experience no matter how many times an athlete has toed the line. However, one major advantage of the seasoned Kona veteran is that they understand the unique features of the course and the way they play a special role in how the day will unfold. Knowing how to use landmarks to break up the course can offer an athlete a better understanding of how to mentally and physically handle the day.
The IRONMAN Kona Swim
The course itself is simple on paper: a 2.4-mile (3.9 km) elongated rectangle that starts on the east side of the Kailua Pier, runs ~1800 meters out to sea, turns around the dive boats, and returns to the pier. The landmarks that frame that rectangle are what give the swim its character, and knowing them is useful for anyone racing.
Before we get to the less obvious course markers, let’s start with the obvious: the course buoys. Just like every other IRONMAN event, these familiar buoys are large, numbered, and a reliable way to make your way around the course. The buoys are yellow and orange, one color on the way out and the other on the way in, and red is used at turns. They are marked with large numbers. It is worth counting the buoys in the morning and using them to set a rhythm and to count your way across the course. However, depending on the line you take, the visibility, the currents, and the swell, they might not always be visible to you when you need them.
The IRONMAN Kona Start
The swim begins at what locals and athletes alike call “Dig Me Beach,” the unofficial-official name for the small stretch of sand next to Kailua Pier where the race’s swim start is held.
On race day, athletes will enter the swim start via stairs where they will swim to the deep water starting line. Kona is an age-group wave start that demands that the athlete tread water before the gun for their wave goes off.
The swim to the starting line is the perfect time to get a race day feel for the water, focus the mind, and take a moment of gratitude for what it took to get to the start of Kona. Each athlete has the chance to seed themselves at the start of their wave, with stronger swimmers tending to take the front and less so hanging towards the back. Once the gun goes off, expect a fury of arms and legs. This is an important time to remember to stay present, hold your line, and swim out of the chaos.
The Way Out
While the way out can feel long, knowing the prominent landmarks can ground you on where you are on the course and help you to gauge effort. About 1000 meters into the swim, to the left on the shoreline is the Outrigger Hotel. This large, white tiered building can easily be spotted and let you know you are nearing the halfway point.
It is a good point of focus for the opening meters of the swim.
The Turnaround
The turnaround is marked by The Body Glove and Jack’s Diving boats. The turn can be crowded, but it is also a perfect time to soak in the cheers from the people on the boat and regroup as you push back towards the pier and the exit. This is the psychological and literal midpoint of the swim, the moment the outbound leg ends and you turn for home, which often results in some reshuffling as swimmers hunt for cleaner water and a straighter line back.
Headed to the Pier
As you leave the boats behind and head towards the pier, you will initially want to use the buoys to sight as you are still far enough out that landmarks will be harder to spot. You might notice some rock formations deep under the water as you get closer to the pier, and soon enough you will be able to spot the buildings coming into sight. In years past, you could see the giant Gatorade - Mortal Hydration bottle looming before the pier came into view. We assume and hope that the pier will be marked by a giant PF&H bottle in 2026.
This bottle is an excellent marker to sight on as you continue to make your way back to the exit. You will get a chance to see the bottle on the pier when you drop your bike off in transition, so it could be helpful to take note of it then to know exactly what you’re looking for on race day.
As you get closer to the pier, sighting gets easier as landmarks are more visible, and eventually the exuberant cheers of spectators lining the pier will punctuate the sound of the ocean as you turn to breathe. Before you know it, you will be in your final strokes of the swim leg as the ocean pushes you into the arms of the volunteers and you exit the swim, up the stairs, under the freshwater showers, and into T1.
Pro-Tips
- Take advantage of the days prior to the race to familiarize yourself with the course and conditions. It is a great idea to get one swim in at the same time as your wave start to understand the sun and sighting. If you are on the island in advance, take advantage of the Ho’ala practice swim (make sure you register well in advance).
- The water in Kona is salty (obviously, we know it’s the ocean), but it is very salty. You will need to make sure you have a good protocol to prevent chafing from your tri and skin suit. Places you might not think about can chafe with the salt, such as your arms and legs. Do not rush through the freshwater showers. Getting the salt off is worth the extra seconds to avoid a long day of unprecedented chafing.
- While a swimskin is not required, we would recommend one. Make sure that in the days and weeks leading up to the race you have worn your swimskin over your tri suit and are comfortable with the fit. For some athletes, it is more comfortable to roll down their tri suit under the swimskin. Test this out in some longer swims prior to the race.
- Visibility is unparalleled, which means that drafting is far easier as you can clearly see the swimmers around you. Find a swimmer that is slightly faster than you, but allows you to stay on their hip to help pull you.
- Currents and swell: You should be able to watch the pros in real time from a screen where you’re queuing to start to get an idea of what the conditions are for them. However, it’s important to know that conditions can shift between the pro/early age-group waves and later starts.
- Have a solid fueling plan for your wave start time. Some waves will be waiting for close to an hour to start.
- Leave yourself extra time in the morning to navigate the unique morning protocols of this race. You will not enter transition from the same place where you dropped your bike the day before. Instead, you will need to go the long way around the hotel, where every athlete is required to weigh in (for safety reasons in the event of a medical issue), and where you will drop your special needs bags if you’re using them.
- Corrals will funnel you based on your wave to the starting line, and it is important to get to your corral with plenty of time to not feel rushed or get trapped behind slower swimmers.
- Unless you start in the final wave or are an extremely strong swimmer, be prepared for swimmers to come up from behind you. Do not overthink this; rather, work to catch a small draft as they pass you.
- If it’s a clearer day out, you may be able to observe the seafloor for a majority or even the entirety of the swim. You can see coral, fish, sea urchins, you name it. Enjoy it.
- Some athletes can experience seasickness. If this is common for you, aim to reduce head movement, sight less often, and focus on the stationary landmarks rather than buoys. For some, closing their eyes rather than looking at the ocean floor can prevent feeling seasick.
The Kona swim rewards preparation over raw speed. Athletes who understand the course, train specifically for its conditions, and race it with a plan consistently come out of the water in better shape for the day ahead — physically and mentally.
Coach Samantha Murphy is the founder of Evolve Coaching Systems, one of the largest and most successful coaching groups in the Midwest. She and her team have coached hundreds of athletes to become IRONMAN finishers and reach their personal best.
