Kona qualifier: time required to qualify for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii
IntensityFinishing in the top X of your Age Group at a qualifying Ironman (X = allocated slots, typically 1-3 per category).
The IRONMAN World Championship (Kona for men, Nice for women in 2026-2027) qualifies participants via allocated slots per qualifying race. Each Age Group category (M30-34, F45-49, etc.) receives 1 to 3 slots depending on field size. Slots are attributed via roll-down: first in category accepts or declines, then 2nd, etc. Typical qualifying times (M30-34 European race): sub-9h30 for certainty, sub-10h to hope for roll-down. Alternative: Ironman Legacy Program (12+ IRONMAN finishes, 1 slot per year guaranteed).
In TriPaced:
TriPaced does not model Kona slots (proprietary IRONMAN data), but you can set your target finish time in Settings > Race A and the plan converges towards this goal. For a Kona qualifier, target sub-10h finish + top-3 category on moderate European race.
Source IRONMAN Qualification System 2026