By Dave Corrigan & Karin Stanton

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii: The Ford Ironman World Championship is obviously the highlight of the triathlon calendar year, but Hawaii has been accepting a role as a global, YEAR ROUND triathlon destination.

The culture has helped define the character of Kailua Village in many ways, but the resorts on the Kohala Coast are also getting involved.

The seaside getaways host a number of high profile triathlons over the course of the year, like the Lava man Waikoloa, held here on the scenic beach of Anaehoomalu, or the Ironman 70.3 here at the Fairmont Orchid.

When there is NO race off and running, the The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows is usually most active. This year, resort officially announced “Team Mauna Lani” – comprised of superstars in the sport of triathlon – like Mirinda Carfrae, Tim DeBoom, Belinda Granger, Matt Lieto and others…

Team Mauna Lani has been hosting training camps and special events for newcomers to the sport throughout the year, as well as specialized training programs for more experienced triathletes wanting to improve their knowledge and performance.

And with all this comes a wave of focused media coverage, from entities like Triathlete Magazine, covering the hard work… and play… of the specialized industry.

The resort is hoping the partnership will encourage people to enjoy an active vacation, experience Hawaii’s spectacular outdoors and take on a life-changing experience, such as a triathlon.