IRONMAN World Championship: Nice or Kona, which iconic triathlon course is harder?
While for many, the Big Island of Kona will always be the epitome of IRONMAN racing, there is no denying that the move to a split world championships has shaken things up and added an extra layer of intrigue when it comes to predicting who could take the crown as the female PROs get ready to toe the start line in Nice, France this weekend.
Because while the lava rocks of the Queen K will always be iconic, the punishing elevation, the twists and the turns of the course on the French Riviera brings a whole new dynamic to the table. Which made us wonder⊠whatâs harder? The fiery winds of Kona or the relentless climbing of the Cote dâAzur?
As we get ready to watch some of the strongest women in long-course triathlon do battle this Sunday, we take an in-depth look at the IMWC race course in Nice. And in a game of âpick your poisonâ â try to decide which course poses the toughest challenge.
Swim courses
Both Nice and Kona start race day with an ocean swim. But the course shape itself at Nice is pretty unique â a âWâ shape with six fairly tight turns to make. Compared to the straightforward out-and-back course at Kona, it adds a layer of technicality to the swim in Nice. More turns means more buoys and a greater risk of losing the fast feet youâve been following, or getting caught up in a tussle. But the course shape does mean athletes stay closer to dry land in Nice compared to Kona, which could reduce the amount of chop or swell they have to contend with.
Both races are likely to feature a non-wetsuit swim â for the PROs at the very least, but most likely for Age-Groupers too. At the time of writing, the water temperature for Nice is reported to be 24.8 degrees Celsius. So the wetsuit vs non-wetsuit debate probably isnât relevant.
IRONMAN World Championship Kona swim course [Photo credit: The IRONMAN Group]
But the other factor at play here is the entry to the swim itself. Kona is a deep water start, with athletes entering the water from the iconic pier. Whereas Nice will see athletes starting from the beach â with what weâve heard are some fairly spiky pebbles to run over before they hit the water (Ouch). For the course shape, and those pesky pebbles, weâve got to give Nice the edge here over Kona when it comes to picking the toughest swim course.
IRONMAN World Championship bike course: Nice vs Kona
The bike course is where Nice really stamps itâs mark as a world championship-worthy race course. Heading away from the glittering Cote dâAzur coast line, the course takes athletes on a winding ascent up to the rooftop villages of Vence, Gourdon and Tourettes-sur-Loup â scaling over 2400m of elevation.
Lucy Charles-Barclay raced the open IRONMAN race in Nice earlier in 2024 as a dress rehearsal for the World Champs (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)
The descent might bring with it feature film scenery, passing through the âRoute de Thorencâ and through the âClues de GrĂ©oliĂšresâ. But itâs also technically challenging with sharp corners and hairpins to contend with. That brings with it a level of mental fatigue as the nerves get tested over and over, as well as the physical fatigue from all that quad-busting climbing.
On paper, Kona should be a no-brainer as the easier of the two bike courses. Thereâs far less elevation than the Nice bike course. That, combined with the out-and-back route, means itâs a course where athletes can focus on getting their head down and tapping out the power, with little in the way of technicality â from the road at least â to contend with. But it would be doing Kona a disservice to forget about two important factors: the wind, and the heat.
Because at least with steep climbs, the elevation isnât going to suddenly change its mind and alter without warning. Hills are a known foe, whereas the wind in Kona is a slightly trickier beast, with fearsome and unpredictable gusts just waiting to catch you unaware and sweep your front wheel from under you the second you lose focus. And then thereâs that notorious heat in Hawaii. Nice is likely to be a warm race, for sure. But anyone whoâs been on a bike on the Big Island will tell you that itâs a bit like cycling into an open oven door. There is simply no letup.
info-circle NICE AND KONA BIKE COURSES: THE STATS
NICE
Elevation gain: 2427m / 7963ft
Max gradient: 22.1%
Average air temperature: 24C / 76F
Humidity: 66%
KONA
Elevation gain: 1772m / 5814ft
Max gradient: 7.4%
Average air temperature: 27C / 80F
Humidity: 81%
Trying to decide which bike course is tougher â Nice or Kona â is a bit like being asked âwould you rather have hands for feet, or feet for hands?â. Both options bring their own set of unique challenges.
Nice just gets the edge on the difficulty front because of the technicality on the descents â particularly for Age Groupers who might not have access to similar terrain in training. Pacing on the ups and confidence on the downs will be key here.
Kona vs Nice run course
So far, Nice is edging itself forward to win the title of âtoughest IRONMAN world championship courseâ. But itâs the run where Kona really steps it up a notch. In Nice, athletes are rewarded with a fast, flat run course after all that climbing on the bike. The four-lap course takes athletes along the Mediterranean coastline, past famous beach clubs, the Chaises Bleues (blue chairs), and the Negresco Hotel.
But unlike Nice, Kona keeps the punches rolling all the way to the finish line, with a hilly run course. As you run in the footsteps of triathlon greats up Palani Road, along the Queen K and out along Aliâi Drive, youâll take on just over 300m of elevation. Thatâs almost 10 x as much as youâd have to scale if you were racing Nice.
Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images for IRONMAN
And where Nice is a lapped course, meaning youâll get plenty of opportunity to see your support crew at least once per 10km. Kona is a single-lap course, taking you far out of the town to tackle the infamous pressure cooker of the Energy Lab with very little company.
Add in the oppressive heat and humidity, radiating off the lava rocks and pushing you to your limits, and weâd say Kona has got to be one of the toughest IRONMAN marathon courses going.
The verdict: Is the IRONMAN World Championship course in Nice tougher than Kona?
One thing thatâs certain here is that the Nice and Kona world championship courses each bring something unique to the table which make them a serious challenge and worthy of a World Championship level race. But because of that twisty, turny swim course and the huge amount of technical riding required to post a fast split on the bike. Weâre going to have to give the toughest stuff award to Nice here.
Did we get it wrong? Head over to our Instagram post and comment to let us know what you think!
