(BIVN) – The Kona Underpants Run was held on Aliʻi Drive Thursday morning, part of the IRONMAN World Championship pre-race series of events.

“The Kona Underpants Run was conceived in 1998 by Chris Danahy, Tim Morris, and Paul Huddle as a protest against wearing Speedos in inappropriate places (stores, restaurants, etc.),” the IRONMAN website explains. “It has since morphed into a pre-race ice breaker and local “fun-raiser” that has become an integral part of the IRONMAN World Championship event week.”

The Kona Underpants Run has raised over $400,000 over the years. The event welcomes “all ages, all genders and all bodies as we celebrate the Aloha spirit that accompanies this incredible one-of-a-kind race week spectacle!”

The women’s edition of 2025 IRONMAN World Championship will take place on Saturday, starting with the swim at Kailua Pier. The men’s race was held last month in Nice, France. In 2026, both the men and women will participate in the same race on the same day when the event returns to Kona.