SETTING THE PACE: Lucy Charles-Barclay leads the pack onto the Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway portion of the FulGaz Bike Course at the 2023 Women’s VinFast IRONMAN World Championship triathlon – (Photo Credit: Christian Petersen / Getty Images for IRONMAN)
(BIVN) – After starting the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN® World Championship triathlon with a 2.4-mile swim, the over-2,000 participating women emerged from the waters of Kailua Bay and jumped onto their bikes on Saturday morning, transitioning into the second leg on the day-long race: a 112-mile bike ride.
LAVA FLOWIN’: The Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway surrounded by lava fields provides a stunning backdrop of thousands of women undertaking the 112-mile (180km) FulGaz Bike Course while competing the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship triathlon (Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
The FulGaz® Bike Course takes the triathletes along the Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway from Kailua-Kona to the Hawi turnaround in North Kohala.
“Athletes experienced exposed terrain and crosswinds,” the Ironman media team wrote. “Along with captivating views of lava fields, coastline, and ocean, the course also featured challenging climbs with an elevation gain of up to 5,814 ft. (1772 meters).”
LAVA FIELDS FOREVER: The Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway provides a stunning backdrop of thousands of women undertaking the 112-mile (180km) FulGaz Bike Course while competing in the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship triathlon (Photo Credit: Donald Miralle for IRONMAN)
After the bike course, competitors embarked on a 26.2 mile marathon run in Kona.
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STORY SUMMARY
KONA, Hawaiʻi - The FulGaz® Bike Course took Ironman participants along Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway from Kailua-Kona to the Hawi turnaround.