Ultraman (endurance challenge)
Encyclopedia
The Ultraman World Championship is a three-day, 320 mile (515-km) annual endurance race held on the Big Island of Hawaii. The 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, 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 35 athletes on an invitation-only basis and attracts participants from around the world, including Brazil, Canada, Italy, 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.
" was held during the 1904 Olympic Games
. That event consisted of a long jump, a shot put, and a 100-yard dash. Seventeen years later, in 1921 in Marseilles, France, an event called Course Des Trois Sports (The Race of Three Sports) was held. The race consisted of biking, running and swimming. However, the event that helped to popularize the triathlon wasn’t until 1974. Members of the 1974 San Diego Track Club organized a training exercise for runners held at Mission Bay and was intended only as a break in the normal grind of training for marathons. John Collins, a U.S. Naval officer who participated in the first triathlon at Mission Bay, was very influential in the modern-day triathlon. During the awards ceremony of the Oahu Perimeter Relay Run in January 1977, John Collins came up with the concept of the Ironman Triathlon
event to settle a debate over who was in better physical condition—runners or swimmers.
The first Ironman was held on February 18, 1978 in Hawaii, fifteen men started and 12 men finished. After an article in Sports Illustrated
in 1979, entries increased in 1980 to 108. In 1982, the United States Triathlon Association and the American Triathlon Association were born and merged together later that year to form the national governing body called the United States Triathlon Association. And in 1983, the first Ultraman World Championship was held.
The Ultraman Challenge has been held annually since 1983 over Thanksgiving weekend as an extreme offshoot of the Ironman. The Ultraman is a sanctioned triathlon by the Triathlon Federation/USA and takes the components of the Ironman to the limits. The popularity of races such as the Ironman and Ultraman helped to establish the triathlon as an Olympic sport. The Olympic Committee included the triathlon as an event during the 2000 Summer games in Sydney, Australia, in the form of swimming, biking and running.
most participants have already competed in a prior Ultraman.
In 2006 the winners were:
In 2007 the winners were:
In 2009 the winners were:
Keauhou Bay
Keauhou Bay is a historic area in the Kona District of the Big Island of Hawaii.The name comes from ke au hou which means "the new era" in the Hawaiian Language.-Kamehameha III's Birthplace:...
, 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
Volcanoes National Park
For the park in Hawaii, see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.Volcanoes National Park lies in northwestern Rwanda and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The national park is known as a haven for the mountain gorilla...
to Kohala
Kohala
Kohala may refer to:*Kohala, Hawaii, two districts on the island of Hawaii*Kohala , an extinct volcano in Hawaii*Kohala, Pakistan, a city*Kohala Bridge, a bridge*Kohala, Jalandhar a village in Punjab, India...
Village Inn, with total vertical climbs of 4,000 feet. Stage three is a 52.4-mile(84-km) double-marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
, which starts at Hawi and finishes on the beach at the Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area
Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area
Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area is a park built on the site of an old landing strip just North of Kailua, Hawaii County, Hawaii.-History:During World War II a small landing strip was cleared near the end of Kuakini Highway....
. 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 35 athletes on an invitation-only basis and attracts participants from around the world, including Brazil, Canada, Italy, 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 event to ever have the name "triathlonTriathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
" was held during the 1904 Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. That event consisted of a long jump, a shot put, and a 100-yard dash. Seventeen years later, in 1921 in Marseilles, France, an event called Course Des Trois Sports (The Race of Three Sports) was held. The race consisted of biking, running and swimming. However, the event that helped to popularize the triathlon wasn’t until 1974. Members of the 1974 San Diego Track Club organized a training exercise for runners held at Mission Bay and was intended only as a break in the normal grind of training for marathons. John Collins, a U.S. Naval officer who participated in the first triathlon at Mission Bay, was very influential in the modern-day triathlon. During the awards ceremony of the Oahu Perimeter Relay Run in January 1977, John Collins came up with the concept of the Ironman Triathlon
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
event to settle a debate over who was in better physical condition—runners or swimmers.
The first Ironman was held on February 18, 1978 in Hawaii, fifteen men started and 12 men finished. After an article in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
in 1979, entries increased in 1980 to 108. In 1982, the United States Triathlon Association and the American Triathlon Association were born and merged together later that year to form the national governing body called the United States Triathlon Association. And in 1983, the first Ultraman World Championship was held.
The Ultraman Challenge has been held annually since 1983 over Thanksgiving weekend as an extreme offshoot of the Ironman. The Ultraman is a sanctioned triathlon by the Triathlon Federation/USA and takes the components of the Ironman to the limits. The popularity of races such as the Ironman and Ultraman helped to establish the triathlon as an Olympic sport. The Olympic Committee included the triathlon as an event during the 2000 Summer games in Sydney, Australia, in the form of swimming, biking and running.
Comparison
The race organizers intended Ultraman to be “an athletic odyssey of rediscovery, showcasing one of the most breathtaking places on earth.” (Curtis Tyler, 1983). Similar to other endurance events like the Badwater UltramarathonBadwater Ultramarathon
The Badwater Ultramarathon describes itself as "the world's toughest foot race". It is a course starting at below sea level in the Badwater Basin, in California's Death Valley, and ending at an elevation of 8360 feet at Whitney Portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney...
most participants have already competed in a prior Ultraman.
Athletes
Athletes of various ages from the entire world participate in the Ultraman.In 2006 the winners were:
| Gender | Place | Athlete | Age | Nationality | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 1 | Jeff Landauer | 39 | 24:30:47 | |
| Women | 9 (overall) | Shanna Armstrong | 32 | 28:13:11 |
In 2007 the winners were:
| Gender | Place | Athlete | Age | Nationality | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 1 | Jonas Colting | 34 | 21:59:44 | |
| Women | 8 (overall) | Shanna Armstrong | 32 | 26:43:24 |
In 2009 the winners were:
| Gender | Place | Athlete | Age | Nationality | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 1 | Alexandre Ribeiro | 28 | 22:10:12 | |
| Women | 7 (overall) | Shanna Armstrong | 35 | 25:48:46 |
Qualifying events
As of 2007, there are two existing Ultraman Triathlons:- Ultraman Hawaii, held on the big island of HawaiiHawaii (island)The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
held annually each ThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
weekend at the end of November; Started in 1983. - Ultraman Canada, held in the Penticton area of British Columbia; Started in 1993.
See also
- TriathlonTriathlonA triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
- Ironman TriathlonIronman TriathlonAn Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
- EnduromanEnduromanThe Enduroman Arch to Arc Triathlon is an ultra-distance triathlon. The triathlon starts with an 87 mile run from London's Marble Arch to Dover on the Kent coast, then a cross-channel swim to the French coast, and finishes with a 180 mile bike from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris...
- Adventure RacingAdventure racingAdventure racing is a combination of two or more endurance disciplines, including orienteering and/or navigation , cross-country running, mountain biking, paddling and climbing and related rope skills...
- Sri Chinmoy 3-Day Ultra-Triathlon