Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i Welcomes the World’s Best Female Triathletes to the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship

October 7, 2025

Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i Welcomes the World’s Best Female Triathletes to the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship

KAILUA-KONA, Hawai`i /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – More than 1,600 registered female triathletes from around the world will gather in Kailua-Kona Hawai`i for the 2025 IRONMAN^® World Championship^® triathlon. Age-group and professional athletes from 78 regions, countries, and territories will tackle the legendary course as they race for world titles at the IRONMAN^® World Championship event.

“After witnessing an unforgettable race and some incredible performance from our male athletes several weeks ago in Nice, France, we are excited to welcome more than 1,600 women to Kona for the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship,” said Diana Bertsch, Senior Vice President of World Championship Events at The IRONMAN Group. “There is little that compares to race day in Kona and as we prepare for many of the best professional and age group women to have their turn at racing this iconic global sporting event, we also appreciate the amazing community who host and welcome us. We welcome them to our ‘Ohana and look forward to providing athletes and their supporters with an unforgettable experience.”

Regional representation sees Europe lead the way with 40 percent* of athletes registered to race and North America with the second most, accounting for 35 percent of athletes. Asia and Latin America follow, each with over eight percent, while Oceania adds seven percent of the athlete field. Africa and the Middle East will make up two percent to complete the athlete field for the 2025 edition of the event.

The United States of America is the most represented nation with 482 registered athletes, followed by Germany (207), Canada (114), Australia (102), the United Kingdom (99), and France (70). Other athletes from countries as far as Bolivia, the Czech Republic, Indonesia, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela are traveling to race in the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon.

Every athlete that lines up on the shores of Kailua Bay on Saturday, October 11 for the women’s edition of the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon has their own unique and personal journey to the start line, but all showcase the same dedication and perseverance that has brought them center stage of the triathlon world. Some of the notable age-group athletes competing at the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon include:

• Natalie Grabow (USA) is set to be the oldest competitor at 80-years young while also looking to become the oldest female finisher ever at the IRONMAN World Championship triathlon and the first to represent the F80-84 division.
• Leah Hoole (Lancashire, United Kingdom) will be the youngest female competitor at the IRONMAN World Championship triathlon at 19 years old and thanks her achievement of making it to triathlon’s pinnacle event to her inspiration Lucy Charles-Barclay.
• Laura Bardsley (Lancashire, United Kingdom) – Laura is a coach, age-group triathlete, and YouTuber who shares her journey openly – the highs, the lows, and everything in between. For a decade she battled anorexia and bulimia where she was told she wasn’t allowed to exercise as it could be a risk to her health. Once at a healthy weight, sport became a turning point, shifting her focus from how her body looked to what it could achieve. Triathlon not only transformed her health but also gave her purpose and a career in endurance coaching. With three full-distance IRONMAN and seven half-distance races completed, Kona is more than a race for Laura, it is a powerful celebration of resilience, recovery, and the strength to rewrite her story.
• Colleen Brown (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) – Colleen is the widow of the late Kyle Brown. Kyle endured a long battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) valiantly, even racing in the 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship during the later stages of the disease. Kyle’s resilience was inspiring and impactful; a story featured in the Emmy nominated 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Documentary Special. Kyle passed away in 2023 from the disease and since then, his wife Colleen has continued to promote Kyle’s vision of strength, love, and belief through endurance sports. In April of 2025, Colleen honored that same spirit by completing her first IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon in St. George and rolling across the finish line just like Kyle was inspired to do by fellow ALS athlete Jon Blais; a powerful full-circle moment that reminds us how resilience lives on through those we love. Colleen has now been provided the opportunity to further carry on Kyle’s legacy when she heads to the iconic IRONMAN World Championship in Kona to race in Kyle’s memory.
• Tamsin Horne (Kerikeri, New Zealand) – A personal trainer and mother of two, Tamsin has turned adversity into strength. After surviving a life-threatening AVM (Arteriovenous Malformation) brain bleed at the age of 15, experiencing temporary blindness, and living with chronic epilepsy, PTSD, and depression, she was told she’d never run long distances again. But eventually, movement became her medicine – reigniting her joy, reducing seizures, and ultimately leading her to triathlon. Despite undergoing six major surgeries in just 12 months, including a clavicle reconstruction and hysterectomy, Tamsin completed the 2024 Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns triathlon just three months on from her last surgery. She says crossing that finish line was something words can’t describe – powerful, resilient, and capable. In 2025, Tamsin completed the ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand on home soil, cheered on by friends and family. She finished fourth in her age group and qualified for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona – an achievement beyond her wildest dreams. Tamsin’s journey is the embodiment of this year’s IRONMAN World Championship theme – resilience.
• Elise Greenwald (Eldersburg, Maryland, USA) – Elise has a condition known as POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). Whenever she stands up, there is a possibly she will black out or faint due to blood vessels not constricting, in turn releasing a hormone which spikes her heart rate – causing dizziness with no blood heading toward her brain. Only about 30% of people with POTS pass out when this happens; other times, they’ll experience symptoms similar to epilepsy such as seizures, brain fog, fatigue, and headaches. Elise has been experiencing symptoms since she was 16 but was formally diagnosed in 2023. Elise runs track at the College of Wooster in Ohio, though her POTS significantly affects her ability to do this freely, leaving her feeling exhausted. As well as the physical toll, the frustration of a body that often lets her down is mentally draining. Despite her condition, Elise has resolved to accomplish her dreams – deciding to commit herself to completing an IRONMAN triathlon against all odds. With the support of a cardiac specialist, her family, and her community, Elise registered for IRONMAN Lake Placid. She accomplished her goal and completed her first IRONMAN Lake Placid in July in an impressive time of 11:29:23. In doing so, she also qualified for the IRONMAN World Championship in her first attempt. Elise is on a journey to inspire others to not let their chronic illness get in the way of living life to the fullest
• Ariana Luterman (Dallas, Texas, USA) – Ariana is an endurance athlete, writer, speaker, and influencer who believes that setbacks are just invitations to rise stronger. In 2023, her world unraveled. A relentless illness left her bedridden, stripped of hope, and questioning whether she would ever recover. With nothing left to lose, she made a bold choice and applied to break a world record – fastest aggregate time to complete an IRONMAN® triathlon on six continents (female). With no guarantee of regaining her health, this was an act of defiance against uncertainty, a declaration that her dreams were still hers to chase. This past Sunday, at the IRONMAN Barcelona triathlon, Ariana crossed the finish line of her sixth race, showing that the unimaginable is possible when you bet on yourself and refuse to quit. To top it all off, she qualified for the IRONMAN World Championship in the process, and she will now add one more IRONMAN race onto the list and toe the line with the best female triathletes on Sunday.
• Lin Hisulu (Taipei, Taiwan) – Lin races with her heart and soul as she competes in IRONMAN events not just physically, but as someone who’s healed from a deep personal struggle. On April 8, 2022, Lin suffered a serious accident that nearly took away her mobility and she had to relearn how to walk and rebuild all of her strength. The journey did not only involve a physical recovery, but also a rediscovery of courage, identity and purpose. Just prior to experiencing her accident, Lin had crossed the highest finish line in the world by finishing the Everest Marathon – this taught her about the perseverance she would need in the future to help her through her rehabilitation. From these experiences, Lin has realized that resilience is found in the quiet moments of starting over – not in the triumphs. Today she is racing with meaning for her past and present self, for her late mother, and for women above the age of 50 to prove that age doesn’t limit potential.
• Svenya Mueller (London, United Kingdom, Representing Germany) – Last year, Svenya qualified to compete at the IRONMAN World Championship but deferred her slot to 2025 as she became pregnant four weeks after qualifying. She had a healthy pregnancy and even ran the Berlin Marathon in 3:45 while 16 weeks pregnant and with limited training due to her morning sickness. Throughout her pregnancy, Svenya was able to maintain a total of seven to nine training hours a week even while travelling internationally for work to places such as Japan and India, while living in London herself. She was even able to complete her last run only an hour and a half before giving birth – symbolically closing a chapter before starting motherhood. She’s now raising her daughter alongside her husband with no close family support to contribute as she balances breastfeeding and training through careful planning and creativity. She was able to restart training four weeks postpartum as she was inspired by other elite athletes and their postpartum returns. Through her own story she hopes to raise awareness and inspire women to combine motherhood with athletic ambition.
• Grace Schumacher (Bathurst, Australia) – Grace is a former elite tennis player who represented Australia at the 2023 World University Games and spent four years competing at a Division 1 College in the U.S. While she loved the sport, what she truly lived for was the fight – pushing past limits, showing up when it hurt, and proving that strength is so much more than physical. After graduating, she feared she’d never feel that fire again – until she found IRONMAN triathlon. Beginning her triathlon journey at the start of the year, with no prior experience in cycling and over a decade away from swimming, she trained relentlessly and won her age group (18–24) at IRONMAN Australia triathlon, earning a spot at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona. Her story – shared with raw honesty and grit – has resonated with thousands online, reminding others that strength is built in the struggle. Grace is now committed to inspiring young women to chase hard things and believe in their power to overcome.

To hear some of these inspiring athletes share their stories of overcoming adversity and empowering others to prove that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^®, please join the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship Ambassador Athlete Panel that will be taking place at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8 at the IRONMAN Village Stage, Hale Hālāwai Park along Ali`I Drive. The event is open to media and the general public.

Additional interesting facts and stats on the field competing in the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship men’s race in Kaliua-Kona, Hawai`i:

• 43 is the average age of all registrants
• Natalie Grabow (USA) is the oldest athlete participant at 80, while Leah Hoole (GBR) is the youngest at 19
• 6 athletes will be celebrating their birthdays on race day, including professional athlete Jackie Hering (USA)
• 78 countries, regions and territories are represented, with top five being the United States, Germany, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and France
• 46 U.S. states are accounted for, with top five states in athlete count being, California, Texas, Colorado, Florida, and Illinois
• Of the 15 registered athletes from Hawai`i, 8 of those are from the Island of Hawai`i
• This year’s field comprises seven returning age group champions from the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship race: China’s Yixuan Chen (F18-24), Poland’s Joanna Soltysiak-Vrebac (F35-39), the United States’ Jana Richtrova (F45-49), Switzerland’s Loubna Freih (F55-59), the United States’ Christine Glah (F60-64), Judy McNary (F65-69), and Missy Lestrange (F70-74)
• 43 qualifying races from around the globe in 2024 and 2025 enabled athletes to reach the IRONMAN World Championship
• Approximately 5,000 volunteers will be helping across race week and on race day to help make the IRONMAN World Championship women’s race in Kailua-Kona successful in 2025.

Beginning in the crystal-clear waters of Kailua Bay, athletes taking part in the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon will tackle the 2.4-mile (3.8km) ROKA swim course before heading out on the 112-mile (180.2km) ZOOT bike course, renowned for its historic long sustained climbs, strong crosswinds, and exposed terrain beauty with lava fields on one side and the ocean coastline on the other. The final leg of the race sees athletes take on the 26.2-mile (42.2km) HOKA run course, an out-and-back that takes athletes past the spirited crowds on Ali`i Drive, up Palani Road to the Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway which leads them to the long-awaited HOST Park at the National Energy Laboratory Hawai`i Authority (NELHA). Athletes will complete their journey to the roar of thousands of spectators as they cross the historic Ali`i Drive finish line. Further details of the course can be found here.

Fans around the world can enjoy live race day coverage of the women’s 2025 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon for free across multiple platforms including proseries.ironman.com, DAZN, and YouTube, as well as Outside TV in the U.S. and Canada, L’Équipe in France, HR in Germany, ESPN (within Disney+) in Latin America and the Caribbean, iQIYI in China, and SuperSport in South Africa. Live race day coverage will begin at 4:30am HST / 10:30 a.m. EDT / 4:30pm CET.

“A Fighting Chance”

Follow the @ironmantri social channels for a behind the scenes view of what it takes to have a chance at world-title glory. The ‘A Fighting Chance’ IRONMAN series will drop three new pre-race episodes featuring eight athletes, with a Episdoe 1, a prelude to Saturday’s race, dropping on Sunday, Oct 5, Episode 2 on Tuesday, Oct 7, and Episode 3 on Thursday, Oct. 9, giving audiences a glimpse of what it takes to prepare for race day, as well as the staging behind such an iconic event. Find live race-day coverage of the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon in Kona globally via proseries.ironman.com.

To submit an interest in receiving media credentials, fill in the World Championship Credentials Request form.

For more information about the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship women’s race in Kona, Hawaii please visit www.ironman.com/races/im-world-championship-kona. To learn more about the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 brands and series of events, please visit www.ironman.com. Media inquiries may be directed to press@ironman.com.

*Percentages rounded, approximate

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About the IRONMAN World Championship

On February 18, 1978, 15 competitors came to the shores of Waikiki, Hawai`i to take on the first-ever IRONMAN<sup>®</sup> triathlon. It was an idea hatched by John Collins, a Naval Officer stationed in Hawai`i, and his wife Judy during a swim club gathering. Collins’ proposal was a friendly test of fitness combining the three toughest endurance races on Oahu into one race: The 2.4-mile Waikiki Rough-water Swim, the 112-mile Around-Oahu Bike Race, followed by a 26.2-mile run on the Honolulu Marathon course. That first race would set the stage for what IRONMAN triathlon would become: the most-challenging single-day sporting event in the world, and a brand symbolizing the belief that “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^®.” Since its inception in 1978 on the Island of O`ahu and continued history in Kona on the Island of Hawai`i with recent stops in St. George, Utah and Nice, France, the IRONMAN World Championship^® triathlon has etched its name in history through historic performances, inspiring athletes, and a lifetime of memories that define the sport of triathlon today. The IRONMAN World Championship remains the most iconic single-day endurance sporting event in the world and is the culmination of 40 global IRONMAN events with over 94,000 athletes around the world striving for one of the coveted qualifying slots of any sporting event in the world. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/races/im-world-championship.

About The IRONMAN Group

The IRONMAN Group is the world’s largest operator of participation sports with a portfolio of brands, events, media, partners, merchandise, and digital platforms operating in over 50 countries worldwide. A global portfolio consisting of hundreds of events includes the IRONMAN^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® 70.3^® Triathlon Series, 5150^® Triathlon Series, IRONKIDS^®, premier running events including the Rock ‘n’ Roll^® Running Series, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and City2Surf^®, the UTMB® World Series of trail running, the Epic Series™ of mountain biking including the Absa Cape Epic^®, and a collection of road cycling and other multisport races. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN^® brand and its first event in 1978, millions of athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^® by crossing finish lines around the world. From its beginnings as a single race among friends in Hawai’i, The IRONMAN Group has become a global sensation and collection of high-growth lifestyle brands that inspire people to unlock their potential in life. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/about/ironman-group.