October 2019

Kona Kings & Queens is a collaboration project with sports photographer James Mitchell to highlight some of the Pros racing in Kona. James supplies his awesome pictures (for more check his Instagram account), I add some data and commentary.

Last year was Rinny’s return to Kona after having daughter “Izzy”. Her result was a solid fifth place that most athletes would be happy with, but as a three-time Kona winner, Rinny probably wasn’t looking for another Top 10 in Kona. Does she have another great Kona result in her?

As is typical for her, there are not too many full-distance data points to work with. Since last year’s Kona she only finished IM Mar del Plata – and finish is all she did, validating her slot with a sixth-place finish. She’s had a few more 70.3 results: Five races between April and June, all of them either wins or second places. But these are also not very helpful what she might do – that’s exactly what she did last year. She would have raced another 70.3 but has broken her radius which will keep from swimming much before Kona.

For a podium result or better Rinny will need to have a better run – she hasn’t yet had a sub-3 marathon after her return to racing. I’m sure that is exactly what Rinny has been working for in her Kona 2019 prep.

This is an excerpt from my “Kona 2019 Rating Report”. You can download your copy here.

Kona Kings & Queens is a collaboration project with sports photographer James Mitchell to highlight some of the Pros racing in Kona. James supplies his awesome pictures (for more check his Instagram account), I add some data and commentary.

Last year Jan was the overwhelming favorite for the Kona title – until he was forced to withdraw with an overuse injury right after a fantastic win at 70.3 Worlds.

In 2018 it was only an injury that held him back, this season he is also unbeaten. He won a few smaller shorter races in Germany, then also 70.3 Kraichgau in June and 70.3 Gdynia in August. While the competition may not have been super-strong in these races (not really his fault as they usually have a good field), Ironman Frankfurt in late June saw the first duel of the three German Kona winners in an Ironman outside of Hawaii. There were a few critical moments for Jan during the race: He overcooked a corner on the bike and had to take a short off-road detour, losing his nutrition. Then Sebi was able to put the pressure on him by running up to him early in the marathon. But Jan responded like a champion, running the fastest marathon of the day and winning the European Championship for the third time.

He will also be looking for his third Kona title. In his list of great races on the long-distance races, there is only one race he started and wasn’t able to finish at least on the podium: That was Kona 2017 when back issues on the run forced him to walk and jog most of the marathon, finishing 35th. Was that race just a quirk or the blueprint of how to beat him by putting pressure on him for most of the race? Athletes with a swim and/or bike strength will make it hard for him to dominate the race from the front as he did in Frankfurt. They will also try to force him to ride harder than he wants to so he can stay in striking distance for the marathon. But will that be enough to negate his run strength? For most of his wins he was able to “manage the lead” in the second half of the Run – so he may not have been forced to show his true potential on the marathon just yet. Maybe we will find out on October 12th!

This is an excerpt from my “Kona 2019 Rating Report”. You can download your copy here.

Kona Kings & Queens is a collaboration project with sports photographer James Mitchell to highlight some of the Pros racing in Kona. James supplies his awesome pictures (for more check his Instagram account), I add some data and commentary.

Daniela has had two great last seasons with wins in Hamburg, Roth and Italy. Her close win over Lucy Charles at Challenge Roth 2018 was at that time the fastest German time, it has since been further improved by Laura Philipp in Barcelona and by Anne Haug in Copenhagen. This year Danni had another string of wins in the half-distance, but 2019 didn’t go quite as well on the full distance: Her A-race in her hometown of Frankfurt ended in a DNF with a stomach bug she caught in race week. But she quickly recovered: Just one week later she improved her PR at Challenge Roth, even if she finished behind Lucy Charles and Sarah Crowley. Her most recent race was a win at 70.3 Zell am See.

Danni will lose some time in the swim, she was eight and nine minutes behind Lucy in Roth in the last two years. But just as in Frankfurt, there will be a couple of other strong bikers around her, and they are likely going to move through the field. Will she have the punch in her legs to shake the others, or will she – like in Frankfurt – drag a few others with her? It’s clear that she will be working hard to put time into those that are likely going to run faster than her. If she can run a marathon around 3:05, there won’t be many in Kona that can put more than a few minutes into her, and a Top 10 is definitely doable for Danni.

Thorsten: You’ve raced in Kona before, but you don’t have good memories from the race in 2016?

Daniela: My first Hawaii experience was pretty bad, at least concerning the race. On the marathon I’ve had strong pain in the abdomen and had to walk most of the course. It got even worse after finishing and I had to go to the hospital, suspecting an appendicitis.
But I also have some really nice memories of my time in Hawaii and approach this year’s race with a positive mindset. I’m really looking forward to my second trip to triathlon paradise!

T: What’s your view on your 2019 season so far? You’ve quickly erased your DNF in Frankfurt …

D: I’m okay with how the season has gone so far. Of course I’ve had some other ideas for my planned highlight at the Mainova Ironman Frankfurt, but third place at Challenge Roth just one week later was a nice consolation. In addition I was able to win three middle-distance races and two more podiums. I also noticed in my training that I have some untapped potential in all areas for the second half of the season.

T: Is there a specific goal for Kona 2019?

D: A Top 10 finish is my minimum target. But if I can achieve that or whether I can finish even further ahead, doesn’t depend only on my own shape but also on the race dynamics. A World Championship can develop in a lot of different ways.

T: Have you already decided on your strategy for the bike leg? Are there “joint plans” with other athletes that have similar strengths?

D: I’ve never set up arrangements with other athletes and don’t plan to do so. However, there are probably going to be “dynamic alliances” that form during the race between athletes with similar goals. As a strong biker that is the card I want to play, but the efforts and benefits have fit. The big challenge will be to make the right decisions in the heat of the moment.

T: In Italy you’ve won with a 3:17, in Roth you ran a 3:06 this year. Where do you see your run in the Kona conditions?

D: This year in Roth I wasn’t quite able to perform at the level I’m showing in my training on a regular basis. I’m not sure if that was because of the infection and the race in Frankfurt. But if I want to finish close to the front in Hawaii, it’ll require a better run performance. The conditions in Kona are a challenge for all athletes. With proper cooling and nutrition I hope to be able to handle the heat and show what I’m capable of.

T: Do you have any plans for after Kona?

D: I haven’t really thought past Kona yet but I can rule out another Ironman in 2019. I also haven’t planned 2020 yet, but clearly I want to erase the Frankfurt DNF. But I’ll think about it in my season break if that’s going to be next year.

This is an excerpt from my “Kona 2019 Rating Report”. You can download your copy here.