Posted: September 27, 2005

Triathlon: King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel Prepares for Athletes as Official Headquarters Hotel for Ironman Triathlon World Championship

As agile, disciplined athletes train for the rigorous Ironman Triathlon World Championship on October 15, the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel quietly readies itself for the associated flurry of activities as the Ironman's official headquarters hotel.

Serving as the event headquarters is a natural for the oceanfront hotel due to its close proximity -- just steps away -- to the Triathlon's start and finish line in the historic fishing village town of Kailua-Kona on the Island of Hawaii. It's a working partnership that goes back 16 years. Under starry Hawaiian skies, the hotel hosts one huge party after another for a cast of thousands in a festive, outdoor setting on the sprawling, 13.2-acre grounds. With music in the background, the mood is upbeat and talk is centered on the upcoming race.

"The Ironman Triathlon is one of the premier events in Kailua-Kona, and we are pleased to be associated with this prestigious organization and its elite group of world-class athletes -- the best of the best," said Jak Hu, CHA, general manager of the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. "We are looking forward to this year's events and to sharing the aloha spirit with these guests." The majority of the guest rooms are booked by those connected in some way to the race. Athletes and their families journey to Kailua-Kona from all over the world, including the U.S. Mainland, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. The hotel has become a comfortable home-away-from-home for returning athletes, to where they can retreat after the grueling day's end.

One of the first events is a welcome reception that includes feeding an army of more than 2,500 people on the Thursday evening prior to race day. To enhance athletes' stamina and strength, the carbo-loading menu includes such hearty and delicious items as salads, barbecue chicken, lasagna, potatoes, stir-fried vegetables, as well as cakes and brownies.

The race begins at daybreak with an energetic and efficient crew of hotel volunteers staffing the aid station. Here, volunteers are ready to dispense water and Gatorade to the athletes, as well as to apply sunscreen and Vaseline. It's a long day for even the volunteers, who log in more than 800 combined hours.

Following the race day, the kitchen crew at the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel prepares for the celebratory awards banquet that will be attended by some 3,000 to 4,000 people, ranging from athletes and sponsors, to the general public. The menu means preparing 600 pounds of salad, 1,050 pounds of chicken, 1,000 pounds of mahi mahi, 600 pounds of green beans, 1,250 pounds of potatoes, 240 pounds of pasta, plus dozens and dozens of rolls and cakes. The Ironman culminates with a Mahalo (thank you) party for the 2,500 volunteers from the community on Monday.

Today, there are 50,000 hopeful athletes but less than 2,000 qualify and are selected for the world championship in Kailua-Kona. The Ironman Triathlon, organized by the World Triathlon Corporation, is an annual event featuring three endurance events: a 2.4-mile rough water swim across Kailua-Kona Bay; a 112-mile bike ride from Keauhou to Hawi and back; and a 26.2- mile marathon along the coast from Keauhou to Keahole Point to Kailua-Kona.

Kamehameha once resided, and is located in the heart of the historic fishing village of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel is part of the HTH Corporation hotel collection, which includes the 837-room Pacific Beach Hotel, located directly across from Waikiki Beach, and 360-room Pagoda Hotel, located minutes from the Hawaii Convention Center.

The hotel site is one of the most historic locations in all of Hawaii. The royal residence of King Kamehameha the Great was established adjacent to the property, where he lived the final years of his life and instituted some of the most constructive measures of his reign. The site is also the home of the Ahu'ena Heiau, an early 16th century temple dedicated to Lono, who was the Hawaiian god of peace, agriculture and prosperity.

The hotel is filled with many exquisite and historic artifacts and depictions of 18th century Hawaiian life. Among many of King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel's treasures are portraits of Hawaiian royalty, feather capes, feather helmets, temple drums, feather wreaths, whale-tooth pendants, war weapons, ancient hula instruments, and displays of domestic and agricultural artifacts.