Bob Babbitt. (Robert Klingensmith / Courtesy photo)
For more than seven years, the Friday before the Hawaii Ironman World Championship held here in the beautiful city of Kailua-Kona, a required column about local athletes who reached the start line.
From novices to elite athletes, to those waiting for public relations and others looking only to cross the baseline in one piece, it was a time to celebrate a massive achievement and recognize each athlete’s career and mind by competing in the Grand Daddy. Of all the triathlons – “Kona”.
However, with the cancellation of this year’s world championships due to COVID-19, my column on local athletes will have to wait until next year, so I should think of 4 of my most memorable Ironman interviews, without any specific order.
The return of professional triathlete Matt Russell in 2018
It’s a final-line win that no one could have predicted for a guy who nearly lost his life at the 2017 Ironguy World Championships.
Matt Russell was at mile 75 of the motorcycle segment and was on his way to the city at a speed of 35 miles consistent with the hour, when a motor vehicle, trying to cross Waikoloa Road, stopped in front of him in the race he was driving to hit his head first against the side window of the vehicle.
While dressed in a helmet, the horrific twist of fate left him with severe trauma to his head, face and neck, as he bled and subconsciously, and with uncertainty about his ability to survive.
A year later, at the 2018 Ironman World Championships, Russell returned to the starting line and finished. Although he was not the first to break the strip, Russell’s impressive result in sixth place, among a professional men’s platoon in one of the most difficult fields. on the Ironman circuit: a victory in many ways.
“Just crossing the finish line was going to be a big win, no matter where,” said the 35-year-old professional triathlete from Sarasota, Florida. “And finishing sixth was definitely the icing on the cake. I was satisfied with my functionality and as soon as I crossed the finish line, the feelings came out. I’ve never felt so alive and for so many reasons.
• “Breakfast with Bob Babbitt”
While Bob Babbitt and I probably wouldn’t have been sitting at sea listening to the local musician, Poncho Man, scratching his ukulele and doing a song with a surprising view of Kailua Bay as a backdrop, one of the most famous sites for his popular Ironman Week exhibition – I was revered for having my own edition of “Breakfast with Bob. “
The San Diego venue is the co-founder of the Challenge Athletes Foundation and Competitor Magazine, the author of the Muddy Buddy Ride series
However, this Sunday, 2016, the legend of the triathlon affectionately known in the multisport world as Funky Dude Bob Babbitt, was discovered upside down from the interview. We exchange on many topics, one of them is the source of his love for multisport.
“I first got ironman done in 1980,” Babbitt said. “We heard it for the first time at Sport Illustrated and we didn’t know how long it lasted, but my roommate, Ned Overend, and I made the decision to come to Oahu. “I was a school instructor in physical education and I read about this called Ironman. But I didn’t have the concept that your intention was to finish it all in one day. We didn’t know what it was, we had no concept. And none of us did.
“From Dave Scott, to myself, to everyone else who was on the starting line in 1980, it was;” Could we do that?Can we finish this? It wasn’t time, results, no calories, no power, but adventure. What brings me back to why I love Ultraman is an adventure. There’s no prize money, you’re here because you need to check it out for yourself. . “
Billy Kenoi becomes the first mayor to compete and at the Ironman World Championships
At the age of 39, Billy Kenoi was the youngest mayor in Big Island history in 2008. Then, in 2014, Kenoi at the age of forty-five was the first mayor of Hawaii to be a finalist for the Ironman World Championship.
I don’t forget to be nervous about our interview and wonder how the hell I could go through all the documents and his busy schedule just to communicate with him. However, Kenoi reassured me by texting: “Here’s my mobile phone number and just tell me the time that suits you best. “Our interview was perfect when Kenoi humbly shared how scared he was at 140. 6 miles.
“I’m terrified, ” admitted Kenoi with a smile. I know I didn’t take the time, but I feel good. Every step was wonderful and a laughing experience. You know the friendliest people, whether they’re athletes, volunteers or just other people for you. I feel really humble. “
“It is the realization of a dream. You may have followed in the footsteps of thousands of people who did it before me. I’ll be humiliated and cry. Crossing the final line will be for everyone on the big island and will show everyone that you can achieve whatever you want. »
Kenoi finished this year’s race in 16 hours, 54 minutes and thirteen seconds.
Bree Wee says ‘goodbye’ to triathlon
I do this interview like it was yesterday. Hawaii’s top decorated professional triathlet announced her retirement after eight years in the triathlon game.
Ironman’s two-time champion Bree Wee (now Bree Brown), who began her professional career in the triathlon after breaking the women’s age record at the 2007 Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, wrote a candid blog post in 2016 stating that it was time to leave. return to freshman training at Kahakai Elementary School full-time.
Where can you check to start writing 8 years of your sports life in a blog post?This is a beginning or an end, just a change. “
At the time, then 36, he said he called everything from cowardice to inspiration. We all know she’s a coward.
Brown remains the biggest female triathlet to leave Aloha State. During her 8-year career, she has traveled fearlessly around the world to challenge those of theArray year after year, to as big a world level as the Ironguy World Championships in Hawaii. She has dominated all local swimming motorcycle races and has consolidated her prestige as “Queen of Lavaguy” with an overall record of 8 wins – maximum through a boy or a woguy – and has the existing record for the women’s course of 2 hours and 2 minutes and 47 seconds.
As we sat down to have smoothies and talk about his resolve to retire, Brown reflected on some of his memories in the sport.
“People, ” he said. That’s the part of the race I’m going to miss. I’m not afraid to miss the baselines or rewards or get on the podium. But I met other great people, other people I would never have met if I hadn’t. for sport.
And Kainoa, even though I felt it was a burden to drag him into some races, there were so many times that I found him on the sidelines screaming and clapping, which made me realize how much he enjoyed it and he’s very proud. me and I think I’ll miss him. He felt this sense of pride that his mother was a “runner. “
Brown has also presented a strong recommendation to many young people in Hawaii who see her as a role model.
“You have to have more than just play in life. Okay, I think there are other people who win gold medals because they’ve dedicated their lives to that, but they’re only the 1 consistent with pennies. 1%, you probably wouldn’t have to resort to anything, and being playing your body, you might not last forever. You don’t need to be that 80-year-old who doesn’t have family, friends or other passions because you gave it your all for your game, so I think you have to have more in life than games.
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