KAILUA-KONA — German triathlete Patrick Lange was down, but never out.

On Saturday, nearly 2,400 triathletes braved the iconic 140.6-mile (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run) 2024 VinFast Men’s Ironman World Championship along the Big Island’s golden coast, and Lange made history in his come-from-behind win in the professional field.

Trailing in 13th place after the bike, the 38-year-old emptied the tank and dominated the marathon portion of the event — racing an incredible 2:37.34 of the final 26.2 miles of the course, averaging under six minutes per mile to catapult himself to the front of the pack.

Lange finished the day in 7 hours, 35 minutes and 53 seconds — the fastest time in course history by almost five minutes. It was his third World Championship win of his career and first since 2018.

“I always told myself that the best is yet to come,” an emotional Lange said postrace. “Nobody believed in me, but this was the perfect day. Mahalo to everyone.”

Lange dedicated the win to his mother, who died of cancer in 2020.

“When I was running along Ali‘i Drive, it really struck me — I got goosebumps all over my body,” he continued. “It was a moment where I definitely felt her. When I last talked to her when she was in hospice, she told me she wanted me to kick butt one more time.”

France’s Sam Laidlow, last year’s world champion, gave himself a massive lead after swimming in 47:06 and biking in a course record of 3:57:22 — ahead of the pack by five minutes at one point. But the 25-year-old budding star wore himself out by the final leg of the triathlon — running in 3:12:49, which was the 31st-fastest of the professionals. He ended up falling to 18th place with a time of 8:02:01 (would have been the course record as recent as 2017).

Coming in second was the 26-year-old from Denmark, Magnus Ditlev. After securing bronze at the World Championship last year in 8:11:43, he blew that time out of the water in 7:43:39. Ditlev started the day slow after finishing with the 21st-fastest swim (48:18), but made up ground with top-five times in the bike (4:02:52) and run (2:46:10).

“I was almost certain my day was done (when entering the bike),” Ditlev said of his slow start. “But I told myself to run at an easy pace that I knew I could sustain, run out to the turnaround on Ali‘i Drive and see where you are then. Then I saw the gap stabilize, and (competitors) were blowing up all over the place. So I just put one foot in front of the other for the entire run, and found myself close to the podium.

“Probably the toughest race I’ve ever done.”

Top American finisher Rudy Von Berg of Columbus, Ohio, placed third overall in 7:46:00. Failing to secure a top-10 time in the swim and bike, Von Berg dialed in during the run and raced in 2:48:11.

Son of triathlon legend Rodolphe Von Berg, the 31-year-old’s lifelong dream was to be on the podium in Kona.

“I was here when I was five years old, nine years old,” Rudy Von Berg said. “I grew up with Kona in the front of my mind and to be on the podium. Today is surreal…just so many years in the making. I’m really happy with it.”

France’s top finisher, Leon Chevalier, placed fourth in 7:46:54. The 28-year-old star’s top performance was in the bike, where he raced the second-fastest time in 4:01:38. Chevalier moved one place up after earning fifth in 2023.

“Coming in fourth is a bit disappointing, but it’s a performance I can be proud of,” he said.

Rounding out the top five was 29-year-old Menno Koolhaas out of the Netherlands, who had a non-ideal start to race day after being stung by a jellyfish during the swim. Miracuously, Koolhaas still swam the fastest time of the pros in 47:02.

“It was really, really painful,” he said. “My heart was pumping like crazy, and I didn’t have the best start — but at a certain moment, I took the lead. By the time I was on the bike, I was feeling really confident.”

Despite the setback, Koolhaas raced the bike in 4:05:02 and the marathon in 2:50:02 to earn fifth place.

“I think mentally, this was one of my best performances,” he added.

This year’s event was men’s-only for the first time, as Ironman made the decision in 2023 to divide the men’s and women’s fields between Kona and in Nice, France. The women were in France this year.

Hawai‘i County Mayor Mitch Roth saw the day as a monumental success for both the athletes and the West Hawai‘i community.

“I think the day went well in all categories,” Roth told West Hawaii Today. “For business, I think we’ll see a lot of money come into the state, which is really great. When we didn’t host Ironman (in 2020 and 2021), businesses took a big hit, so it’s great to see that businesses are doing well and dollars are circulating on our island.

“People also get to see the best parts of Hawai‘i, which will hopefully inspire people to come back here for the right reasons — such as for the culture and beauty of the islands. We also had a good amount of volunteers, which was great to see.”

To view the results from the professional field, see Page 3B.

Big Island Ironmen

Eleven Big Island residents competed Saturday, making the entire local community proud. All of their times can be found below:

• Kaiden Lieto, 18-24 — 9:58:15

• Laurentiu Grigore, 45-49 — 10:57:55

• Keish Doi, 55-59 — 11:07:52

• Steffen Brocks, 55-59 — 11:28:30

• Daniel Hill, 50-54 — 11:36:33

• Lloyd Gillespie, 45-49 — 12:29:19

• Michael Kemp, 30-34 — 13:23.13

• Ian Hersey, 60-64 — 14:24:17

• Ron Kalich, 55-59 — 14:31:31

• Alexander Hsia, 60-64 — 16:08:13

• Andrew Loeb, 75-79 — Did not finish

See you next year

The top women’s athletes from across the globe will return to Kona for the 2025 VinFast Women’s Ironman World Championship on Oct. 11, 2025. The men will return to France for their championship race day on Sept. 14, 2025.

‘I can’t believe that the hotel would allow this to go on so long.’

A Hilton Hawaiian Village customer was shocked after discovering something about the location after booking. It had major impacts on her stay and vacation.

Featured Video

In a viral TikTok video that has been viewed over 107,300 times, user Lisa & Hank (@handsomehandandmama) explained what happened.

“Hilton Hawaii failed to disclose this when we booked,” text overlaid on the clip read.

What she discovered upon arrival was shocking.

Why is this Hilton guest unhappy?

The woman issued a major PSA to anyone who plans to stay at the hotel. She alleged there is an ongoing worker strike that has disrupted the hotel’s operations.

“Don’t book a stay at the Hilton Hawaii!” reads the video’s on-screen text. “There is a strike and its chaotic.”

What was supposed to be a relaxing hotel stay landed the woman in the midst of a worker protest.

“I’m at the Hilton Hawaiian,” the woman continued. “Workers are striking. Very relaxing.”

As she spoke, the voices of the workers could be heard collectively chanting and shouting.

She recorded the workers standing in front of the hotel with signs, bellowing messages from a microphone.

“I can’t believe that the hotel would allow this to go on so long,” she said.

Hilton Hawaiian Village workers on strike

Today marks the 30th day that Hilton Hawaiian Village workers began the strike. According to Hawaii Public Radio, 1,800 workers have participated.

The union that represents the workers say they last met with the hotel’s representatives on Sep. 12. The reps have refused to meet again since the strike began.

Reasons for the strike include wage increase demands, staffing issues, and COVID-era cutbacks.

“We wanna restore this property to what it was before, but they won’t let us cause they don’t staff right,” one of the protestors could be heard saying. “We are fighting for you too.”

Viewers defend workers

In the comments section, many expressed support for the workers.

“Thing is, Hilton would rather be giving out refunds and whatnots than to give their overworked staff a raise,” wrote one user.

“I would ask for a refund and go home. Don’t make those workers wait on you. They have other things to worry about, like getting their fair share,” said another user.

Others shared stories about the establishment’s poor treatment of its workers.

“My husband faithfully worked at the HHV for 14+ years and was terminated for parking on the wrong level on a day that they wanted him to come in earlier than his shift. They don’t care!!” wrote someone else.

@handsomehankandmama Reallt disappointed, booked what was supposed to be s relaxing vacation in Hawaii and the workers are on strike. Irritated that the hotel didnt disclose. Hilton has been short staffing since covid and treating staff poorly. #hilton #hiltonhawaiianvillage #hawaii #honolulu #hawaiistrike #hiltonstrike #fyp #hawaiian #aloha #waikiki ♬ original sound – Lisa & Hank

The Daily Dot contacted Lisa & Hank via TikTok comment and direct message for more information. We also reached out to Hilton Hawaiian Village via email for more information.

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A study to identify possible alternate traffic routes out of Puna could begin early next year.

The goal of the Puna Alternate Route Study is to find potential locations for another route into Puna in an effort to decrease the district’s reliance on Highway 130, its only major transit corridor, which is prone to heavy traffic congestion.

Efforts to develop an alternate route ramped up in the wake of the 2018 Kilauea eruption, when magma beneath the highway caused the pavement to bulge and crack, making residents concerned the road would be severed entirely.

In 2021, Puna Rep. Greggor Ilagan secured $1 million in state funds for an initial study, with Hawaii County to provide an additional $500,000. The County Council eventually moved to accept the state funds — albeit after briefly rejecting them in January — and added another $500,000 to the county’s share, bringing the total project funding to $2 million.

However, Department of Public Works Director Steve Pause said the study won’t commence until early 2025, and the project’s scope hasn’t yet been set, nor has a consultant been selected.

Pause said via email DPW is working with the county Department of Finance to secure the state’s $1 million contribution for the project. This, he said, should be worked out before the end of the year.

The extra $500,000 in county funds added to the initial state allocation will be used to expand the scope of the project.

Ilagan told the Tribune-Herald the county cannot use the original $1.5 million allocated in 2021 for anything outside of what that allocation specified: In this case, a study of possible alternate routes makai of Highway 130.

By using the additional county funds, the study can be extended to areas mauka of the highway.

Pause noted via email that the study’s name has been changed from the Puna Makai Alternate Route Study to just the Puna Alternate Route Study, dropping the “Makai” specification.

Ilagan told the Tribune-Herald that he suspects the impending election has slowed the process down.

“Depending on who the next mayor is going to be, he’ll be the one carrying the torch,” Ilagan said, adding that, while current Mayor Mitch Roth has been supportive of the project, a shakeup of the administration could leave the study in limbo. “I don’t blame them, it’s the right move. You ought to know who your mayor is before you do anything.”

Meanwhile, Ilagan said no additional funds for the study will be forthcoming from the state.

“This funding was secured years ago, and it was hard enough to do that,” he said.

Puna Councilman Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder said other state lawmakers, including Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, had suggested at a recent town hall meeting the possibility of adding the study to the state’s capital improvement project list. However, San Buenaventura did not respond to requests for comment in time for this story.

Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.