Ironman world championships 2025 | Our guide to Nice and Kona
Discover the riders, courses, and everything else you need to know about the biggest and best races in triathlon.
Contents
Two epic stages, one global championship
As is now customary since 2023, the world championships splits its action between two iconic venues with the men and women alternating between Nice and Kona year-on-year.
In 2025:
- The men’s championship will race through the stunning French Riviera in Nice on 14th September, tackling the rugged terrain and coastal beauty of southern France.
- The women’s championship returns to its storied home in Kailua‑Kona on 11th October, where heat, humidity, and lava-rock landscapes will test even the toughest endurance athletes.
Not everyone is a fan of the change – for decades, both men’s and women’s world championships took place on one day in Kona, helping create the myth of the event – but the split has provided a separate global platform for the female race, as well as offering variety in the course each year.
Nonetheless, in 2026 both men and women will return to Kona, a return to the roots of the event.
Triathlon World Championships in numbers
226 km of racing.
Every athlete races the same distance: 3.8 km swim. 180 km bike. 42.2 km run.
2,400 m / 1,772 m of elevation.
Nice’s brutal bike leg boasts 2,400m of climbing, with Kona a ‘mere’ 1,772 m.
20.
Number of gold medals for the most successful men’s nation in world championships history, the USA.
11.
Number of gold medals for the most successful women’s nation in world championships history, Switzerland.
7:35:52
Patrick Lange’s course record, set at Kona last year en route to gold. Can he break the record in Nice this month too?
Men’s course preview (Nice)
Nice flips the script on the type of athlete who thrives at Kona – it's a very different beast, suiting triathletes who climb well on the bike, can pace themselves in the hills and then avoid blowing up on the run.
- Swim: A stunning 3.8km Mediterranean ocean swim characterised by a zig-zag pattern—out-and-back segments no more than 1,000 m offshore, featuring an in-water wave start that adds intensity and strategic sighting for spectators and athletes alike.
- Bike: Expect intense climbs and sweeping alpine descents through the Alpes-Maritimes, combining rugged elevation with jaw-dropping panoramic views of the Côte d’Azur.
- Run: The marathon unfolds along the iconic, palm-lined Promenade des Anglais—a scenic finale along one of the most famous boulevards in France.
Men’s race favourites (Nice)
There are two main front runners for the title of world champion this year, both of whom race on Canyon bikes:
- Patrick Lange (GER): The three-time world champion (including his 2024 record-setting win in Kona) took second place in Nice back in 2023, with an outstanding marathon split performance, and his Kona win came off the back of a brilliant run. Can he do the same after the bike leg hills of Nice this year?
- Sam Laidlow (FRA): The British-born French triathlete was the 2023 champion in Nice, and the youngest man ever to win the title. A powerful cycling force, he holds the bike course record in Kona.
Women’s course preview (Kona)
Kona is the soul of the sport, and winners there certainly need a lot of heart and soul to master the conditions. Humid, oppressive heat make body cooling strategies, salt balance and mental toughness key characteristics in an athlete’s armoury at Kona, while powerful cyclists can make a big difference on the relatively flat bike leg.
- Swim: A classic 2.4-mile ocean out-and-back in Kailua Bay. Warm, calm waters make it a test of rhythm and mental focus rather than raw power.
- Bike: Riders tackle the iconic Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, stretching 112 miles with 1,772 m elevation gain—less than Nice’s climbs but made punishing by Kona’s notorious heat and humidity.
- Run: The marathon along Ali‘i Drive is a symbolic finish—charged with Kona’s mythical aura, where historic legends of the sport were born.
Women’s race favourites (Kona)
A quartet of terrific triathletes look set to be in the running for the world championships title this September:
- Laura Philipp (GER): Winner of the 2024 championship in Nice, Canyon athlete Laura is the overall favourite to defend her title. The German has had an
- Kat Matthews (GB): Strong rival of Laura Philipp and 2024 runner-up at Nice last year, the Briton recently set a new personal best of 8:05:13 at Ironman Hamburg (2025). She is fiercely consistent in long-distance competition.
- Julie Derron (SUI): After a surprise silver medal performance at Paris 2024, the Swiss racer has stepped up to long distance and could be in the mix for a medal already in Kona this year. The coming racer, and rapid on the run leg.
- Marjoleine Pierre (FRA): Fourth place at worlds last year at just 24 years old, the young French athlete will be desperate to get a medal for the first time.
Meet the Canyon athletes
Back to Nice. Back to win.
Back to Kona. Back to win.
Canyon’s rich history at the world championships continued last year with both Laura Philipp and Patrick Lange taking the titles in emphatic fashion on their Speedmax CFR bikes.
Laura’s win was her first in long distance triathlon’s blue riband event, and she was jubilant at the finish:
“I’m the happiest person on Planet Earth right now… I never thought that this could happen. I’m very thankful to my head and body for hanging in there.”
Find out more about Laura’s win here.
Just one month later and Laura's German compatriot Patrick Lange took Canyon to the top step again with a powerful win in Kona, his third world title after winning back-to-back in 2017 and 2018: “I always said my best day here is to come, and nobody believed me. This was a perfect day. Absolutely perfect.”
Dedicating the victory to his mother, who had recently passed away, the German’s victory was an emotional one: “When I was running along Ali‘i Drive, about five kilometres into the run, it really struck me. I got goosebumps all over my body, even if I was really hot. And that was the moment where I definitely felt her. … I always said that my best day was yet to come, and nobody believed in me—but this was the day, it was the absolutely perfect day. And again, this is for my Mum. I just feel grateful to be here.”
Both Laura and Patrick raced the bike legs on the Canyon Speedmax CFR, widely considered the greatest triathlon bike of all time, an eight-time world champion winner that combines aerodynamic excellence with comfort and innovative storage solutions.
Join Canyon at the races
Schedule World Championships Nice 2025
WEDNESDAY
09:00am – 05.00pm: Canyon Race Bike Service EXPO AREA
THURSDAY
09:00am – 05.00pm: Canyon Race Bike Service EXPO AREA
From 11:30am – Canyon Rikscha PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS “Hop on, say hi & ride with Canyon”
12:00am – How to prep you race bike" workshop by Canyon EXPO AREA
04:30pm – Canyon Signing Session w/ Sam Laidlow EXPO AREA
05:30pm – Canyon Signing Session w/ Patrick Lange EXPO AREA
FRIDAY
09:00am – 05.00pm: Canyon Race Bike Service EXPO AREA
From 10:00am – Canyon Rikscha PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS “Hop on, say hi & ride with Canyon”
11:30am – "How to prep you race bike" workshop by Canyon EXPO AREA
01:30pm – "How to prep you race bike" workshop w/ Daniel Bækkegård EXPO AREA
05:30pm – Canyon Signing Session w/ Patrick Lange EXPO AREA
SATURDAY
09:00am – 05.00pm: Canyon Race Bike Service EXPO AREA
From 11:00am – Canyon Rikscha PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS “Hop on, say hi & ride with Canyon”
11:30am – "How to prep you race bike" workshop by Canyon EXPO AREA
SUNDAY
From 11:30am – Canyon Rikscha PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS “Hop on, say hi & ride with Canyon”
Ironman Expo Area
Promenade du Paillon
Plassa Carlou Aubert
06300 Nice
Frankreich
Coordinates (lat, long):
43.697498, 7.2713
Did this article help?
Thank you for your feedback
Related Stories
