What is the hardest Ironman?

Hey Everyone

We want to know what you think is hardest WTC Ironman race in the world. This exclude Kona.
We think it's New Zealand ;-)

Kia Kaha

Bevan and John

Comments

[Neil (the other Neil)]

The hardest course has to be IM Canada. Richter Pass demands respect. On the other hand Malaysia is hot. France is hilly. Lanzarote is hilly and hot. NZ (my favourite) is a bit hilly, can be hot, and can be really windy. Actually, maybe this is a silly question. There is no easy Ironman.

[Jon]

Any race is very hard in tough conditions. Ironman Germany in Frankfurt, one of the faster (ie easier) courses was extremely hard in 2006 because it was a non-wetsuit swim for the first time and most of the bike and run was held in temperatures of 35-40 deg C.

One way to look at it is which races take the longest to fill? France, UK, Lanzarote, Malaysia, NZ......

[Scott]

I'll agree that all of them are hard and deserve respect.

While I'm a bit biased since it's just next door, I'd contend that Ironman Wisconsin is up there for toughness. The course is very challenging, and September in Wisconsin is unpredictible weatherwise. In the 5 years of the race it has been incredibly hot and humid 3 of the years, "nice" once, and cold, windy and rainy the other.

[Phil]

There are two I know of;

IM LanzaGROTTY Windy, hilly and hot as hell, it reduced one of my mates to tears last year, and if you are going from England you have to put up with a flight full of English chavs going on their hols.

BUT

Norseman, you have to take along your own support crew, the last 10k of the marathon is up a mountain to a ski station and there is no medal only a t-shirt, (if you haven't heard of it check out the website it is epic!!)

[Delboy]

It has to be IMUK 70.3! It's not classed as the hardest 70.3 in the World for nothing, just look at the pro times, well down on most of the other 70.3 events!

All those hills on the bike, with no respite and then youv'e got the run. 13.1 miles which includes a huge hill after 1 mile, which you have to go up and down the otherside three times. Most of the run is cross country, so plenty of ankle breakers out there. At least it was dry in 2006, can't imagine what the run course would be like in the wet.

[Fegan]

I'm doing Lanza this year because I thought it was the hardest WTC IM distance race. First there's the course, the wind and the fact you've got to train through winter to get in shape.

Malaysia sounds pretty damn hard becuase of the humidity.

IMUK is a brute as the run isn't flat either.

I'll let you know in June whether or not Lanza lives up to its reputation.

[Uli]

WTC: Lanzarote
Non WTC: Embrun

Winds and heat (not humidity) are Kona-like in Lanzarote, but there's also the hills. Usually you have headwinds from k20 to k120 and tailwind into T2.
However, in 1997 the winds changed right around noon, when many hit the turn at k120. That made for roughly 160k of headwind cycling.

Reid won that year and I remember him saying that he at first had no intention whatsoever to leave T2, because he was totally shattered.
Roads back then were also very rough, but that has changed to the better since.

And Embrun? We're talking 5000m of vertical climbing.

[Chance Barber]

Environment wise, it sounds like the one Brian Rhodes has won...it Malyasia I think. Super hot & Humid.

Course wise, I've read that IM Lake Placid & Nice are very difficult. Very Hilly.

[christian (phil's mate from farnham UK)]

All IMs are tough. I did my first in NZ this year--and what a great day it was!
We go to Lanzarote to train a couple of times a year and to my mind it would be really tough. It's hilly, hot and always windy. You can't take the hills away, but even if the wind drops it just makes it even hotter and dries you out even more. The run is baking.And it's a sea swim. What could be worse?
I only just caught onto IMtalk-now I'm trying to catch up on all the old ones-bugger!

[Newman]

Depends more on conditions I think!!!

Sure if you climb over a few bergs than that may hurt( Lanzarote,Canada, Nice)

I have raced 4 IM's with one being a super flat course (IM Western Australia) and that was not easy as there was not hills to help break up the TT position and muscle use. You need some hills, they do help.

[Rolo (Germany)]

Lanzarote is the hardest ironman i ´ve finished. it´s a brutal course but it is very fair! thats why i love it.

My hardest race was 2000 in roth, because i was completely undertrained and did it just for the "fun"... long day :-)

Resume: because of the distanz of an ironman, every course is very tough if you give your personal 100 % best....

The toughest race i have done was the MTB race in south africa Cape-Epic!

[Palle Jensen]

The hardest ironman competition is in Norway. This link describes the challange:
Lanzarote go home!!

http://www.nxtri.com/