October 21, 2009 (Kona, Hawaii) – The 2009 Ford Triathlon World Championships, or Ironman Hawaii, on Oct. 10 and held each year in Kona, is known for its extreme conditions. Whether it’s the intense heat, which can be over 100 degrees, the famous trade winds known to blow upwards of 30-50 miles an hour, or tough ocean swells, these are conditions all 1,800 competing athletes have to prepare for to contest one of the biggest sporting challenges on the planet – 2.4-miles of swimming, 112-miles of biking, and a 26.2-mile marathon run.

This year was like no other in that over 130 athletes did not finish the race – many due to the intense heat which caused, GI problems, severe heat stroke, and also the head winds that the athletes faced for the entire last 1/3rd of the bike. Overall our Canadian athletes fared very well:

– Samantha McGlone – 6th (W Pro)
– Paolina Allen – 31st (W Pro)
– Bonnie Grundman – 8th (W50-54)
– Linnea Humphrey – 13th (W40-44)
– Florence Tartavel – 53rd (W35-39)
– Ron Vandersluis – 127th (M40-44)
– Tom Lettner – 27th (M65-69)
– Richard Tout – 31th (M55-59)
– Edie Fisher – 6th (W50-54)
– Elizabeth Thompson – 23rd (55-59)
– Carmel Tindale-Fox – 24th (W45-49)
– Richard Pady – 26th (M35-39)
– Cameron Bush – 38th (M30-34)

The Underwear Run
One of the many famous rituals leading up to race day at the 2009 Triathlon World Championships in Kona is The Underwear Run. This run now boasts over 500 athletes, friends and family members who, as you can see from the pictures, wear the least amount of clothing possible to run a 1-mile circuit which includes a short stop at Dig Me Beach where they show off their muscles before thousands of spectators. Canada was well represented.

Eon Supports Canucks in Kona
Eon D’Ornellas of D’Ornellas Bike Shop in Toronto was in Kona, Hawaii providing service for all of the Canadian athletes who were training and racing in addition to the three athletes from his shop’s Triathlon Team who were racing. His van was out on the course all week leading up to the race and D’Ornellas was seen repairing bikes, changing flats and providing water many times. Go Canada.