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The Craziest Moments in IRONMAN World Championship History

Even non-triathletes know and respect the “Hawaii IRONMAN” from the award-winning NBC coverage, but for those of us in the triathlon scene, the IRONMAN World Championship is the pinnacle of our sport. It’s Mount Everest. It’s the Super Bowl.

The first IRONMAN was held in Waikiki in 1978 and combined three of the island’s premier endurance events into one. What started with 15 competitors has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, with thousands of qualified athletes toeing the line in Kailua-Kona every October.

While the gear, nutrition and finishing times have changed significantly since the first race in 1978, the competitive spirit and desire to push oneself to the limit hasn’t. Like the original slogan said: Swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, run 26.2 miles, brag for the rest of your life!

With 40 years of inspirational, motivating and just-plain-crazy moments to pick from, here are seven of our favorites from past IRONMAN World Championships.

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