Kona Qualifying Slot Allocation Rules and Examples

To qualify for Kona, you need to earn a qualifying slot. Each race allocates a certain number of Kona slots by age division, roughly according to the ages of competing participants.

Below are the slot allocation examples by race and age division for 2009 north American Ironman events. Example: if your finish time put you in the top 10 M35-39 finishers at Ironman Arizona, you would have qualified to go to Kona. For more, see Qualifying for Kona.

Division	Arizona	Canada	CdA	Florida	Lake Placid	Wisconsin
M18-24	1	1	1	2	1	6
M25-29	3	3	4	4	3	9
M30-34	8	5	6	6	5	12
M35-39	10	8	8	8	8	18
M40-44	11	8	9	9	9	17
M45-49	7	7	7	7	9	11
M50-54	5	5	4	5	5	7
M55-59	2	3	3	2	3	4
M60-64	1	2	1	1	1	3
M65-69	1	1	1	1	1	2
M70-74	1		1	1	1	2
M75-79	1			2
MPRO	6	6	4	5	4	9
W18-24	1	1	1	1	1	2
W25-29	3	2	4	2	2	6
W30-34	4	3	3	3	4	6
W35-39	5	4	4	5	3	8
W40-44	4	5	4	3	4	6
W45-49	4	3	3	3	3	4
W50-54	2	2	1	1	2	3
W55-59	1	1	1	1	1	2
W60-64	1	1	1	1		2
W75+		1
WPRO	2	2	3	2	3	6

To see the corresponding finish times and swim/bike/run splits, visit: Kona Qualifying Times.

Allocation methodology as defined by Ironmancenter.com:

At least one Kona slot shall be allocated IN FULL-DISTANCE EVENTS to each five-year age-group category in which any age group athlete sends in an application, both male and female, per the age group categories listed. 

Ford Ironman 70.3 California has limited Kona slots available and will allocate them as fairly as possible. Be aware that some age groups may be combined for the allocation of a Kona slot at the sole discretion of the race director. PLEASE CHECK FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON KONA SLOT ALLOCATION AT RACE REGISTRATION. 

At least one Clearwater slot shall be allocated in Ironman 70.3 events to each five-year age-group category in which any age group athlete sends in an application, both male and female, per the age group categories listed. 

If there are no athletes entered in the race in a particular age group, then that slot will be moved to the largest populated age group in that same gender. 

For additional age group slots, slot allocation shall be representative of the actual number of age group applicants in each category in the race. 

As an example, if 8% of the age-group applicants are females 40-44, then 8% of these slots would be allocated in the female 40-44 category. 

Please note that at 10 percent of Ford Ironman World Championship slots at full-distance events are allocated to Professionals..i.e. 80 qualifying spots, eight are reserved for pros.
Note: All athletes must be present at Hawaii Registration to claim their spot!!!!!

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Dahon Speed Pro TT Folding Bike: Ride Photos and Bike Spec Highlights

The Dahon Speed Pro TT folding bike we're reviewing is a high-end performance bike, featuring innovative folding technology, solid construction, an efficient 27-speed gearing system, everything you need for a great training ride, anywhere.

To show what we mean, on a recent ride we took photos of the bike, in action.

This is what the bike looks like at 24mph, from the rider's perspective: the smooth blur of speed on aerodynamic, light Kinetix Pro wheels, Schwalbe Durano tires, Kinetix Pro V-brakes, and an aluminum SlipStream fork.

And the rear view, below . . . Fast. SRAM Dual Drive rear hub for 27 speeds,  Shimano Ultegra SL derailleur, and Kinetix Pro ultralight V-brakes. SRAM 9-speed cassette, 11-26.

Syntace VRO adjustable handlebar system, Shimano Dual Control ST-4500 3x9 speed shifters and brake levers.

Aluminum Radius VRO handlepost with patented Fusion and V-Clamp technologies.

KA Series frame made of 7005 butted aluminum allow, custom drawn Sonus tubing with patented V-clamp forged hinge. Solid. FSA crankset, Dahon special edition.

Kore I-Beam seatpost, Dahon Turtleneck seatpost clamp under a 228-gram saddle.

Innovations and high quality parts make the Speed Pro TT ride almost like your high-end road or triathlon bike. With the huge benefit of collapsibility and easy transport. That's what makes this the next piece of gear you should consider.

Dahon Speed Pro TT Folding Bike: Taking it on the Road Part 1

Dahon Speed Pro TT Review Notes  (also see First Impressions/Specs, The Competitive Edge, and This Changes Everything)

Good 30 minute ride today between meetings. The bike feels quite good at speeds up to 22mph. Out of the saddle, digging in a little for short hills, all solid.

The bars were very comfortable. Location is good to facilitate good weight distribution.

Key point, and this is a good thing: you need to work with the bike to get the best performance. You don't just get on and hope it's going to be pretty close to your road or triathlon bike. 

It's not those bikes, it's a collapsable bike with very significant benefits. And there's a trade-off for less frame, higher seat etc. But the net benefits, including transportability, more training time, etc are more than worth it. 

I've got a lot of experience 'working with' innovative products. I have ridden Softride bikes since 1999; too bad they went out of business. I race far better on the beam bike than a traditional bike, and comfort is a real plus for long distance rides. But if your form is bad, you'll bounce all over on the beam. The innovation is powerful if you use it right.

Same with the Vasa Ergometer indoor swimming machine. Does it let you mimic swimming in water perfectly? No. But you can get great training in a fairly similar stroke without leaving your home or spending $20,000 for an endless pool. I trained entirely on my VE before my most recent Ironman Triathlons. I gave up worrying about swimming in water (I hate water), and raced just as well. 

Separately, I've played Steinberger headless, graphite composite neck guitars for 23 years. It doesn't sound like a Les Paul immediately because it doesn't have the meaty wood to sustain the sound. But it has a different, also wonderful, sustain, and you need to find it. 

With the SPTT, early impression, I'm letting myself learn how to work with the bike. Weight distribution is important. You don't just get out of the saddle and lean into the frame when trying to get a burst of speed or it will creak a bit. You need to finesse it, remembering that the mid-frame joint is strong but not completely bulletproof. It's not supposed to be. Again, the bike is made to collapse, and to get that benefit, you need to work with the frame.

Same is true with the seat post. If you want to see if it bends under weight (I'm not as light as when I'm in peak racing form, have to admit), sure it moves a little. As does my Softride beam. Again, if you ride with correct form, the seatpost remains perfectly in position, and maximum energy is transferred to the pedals. 

I've read about the brakes, and it's true, you don't stop on a dime. Maybe I'm being a little too forgiving, but I'm wondering if you want to be able to stop on a dime with a bike this small. I can see going over the handle bars if it were to stop cold. So I'm learning to get the most out of the braking system as it is. And I'm not trying to ride fast into intersections or situations that might require an instant stop.

But the bike is doing everything I expected it to do, and more. Excellent.