In conjunction with the 2023 VinFast Women’s IRONMAN® World Championship taking place in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on Saturday, October 14, The IRONMAN Foundation, will continue its support of the local community through a variety of giveback efforts that will total over $140,000 in proceeds, bringing its total historical giveback to the Hawai`i community to over $3 million. The IRONMAN Foundation Inc. is a non-profit organization creating positive, tangible change in race communities through grants and volunteerism efforts.
For the first time in the event’s 40-plus year history, the spotlight will exclusively shine on female triathletes as Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i will welcome the first standalone Women’s VinFast IRONMAN World Championship triathlon on October 14. In total, 19 women will be racing with The IRONMAN Foundation in Kailua-Kona, the largest group of women to race with TEAM IMF at a single IRONMAN World Championship® event in the organization’s 20-year history.
TEAM IMF is a network of triathletes that Race For More® and are dedicated to leaving their positive IRONMAN legacy in race communities long after race day. Through TEAM IMF, athletes fundraise to support the IRONMAN Foundation’s mission while racing an IRONMAN event of their choice at no additional cost. Funds directly benefit those communities where IRONMAN events are held by providing charitable support to a variety of local nonprofit organizations that provide support to their local community.
“The Kailua-Kona community is an integral part of the IRONMAN World Championship race’s history and has created a lasting impact on the organization’s spirit,” said Audra Tassone-Indeck, Executive Director for The IRONMAN Foundation. “As we continue to evolve our program, this year hosting the first dedicated Women’s IRONMAN World Championship weekend, we celebrate the community that continues to make our programming possible.”
For more information on The IRONMAN Foundation’s giveback efforts to the Big Island of Hawai’i, this year’s Team IMF Athletes, and race week activities, please see below.
Lydia8 Grant Mural
This year, The IRONMAN Foundation provided a $20,000 grant to Lydia8, a local organization aimed at cultivating artistic and cultural opportunities for native Hawaiians to mobilize their communities. The group painted a mural on a wall at the corner of Kuakini Highway and Palani Road, which falls along the racecourse. The mural will emphasize the concept of “Holomua” meaning moving forward.
The Kona Underpants Run
A staple of race week at the VinFast IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawai`i, over 1,500 participants took to Ali`i Dr. for the UnderPants Run (UPR) presented by The IRONMAN Foundation on Thursday, Oct. 12. Participants took on a approximately 2.4km out and back fun-run in which spectators and participants alike enjoy photos, cheer stations and comradery. Conceived in 1998 by Chris Danahy, Tim Morris, and Paul Huddle as a protest against wearing swim briefs in inappropriate places, the event has morphed into an IRONMAN pre-race icebreaker raising over $52,000 for non-profit giveback this year alone. Over the years, the total raised for charities has now reached more than $350,000. UPR welcomed all ages, all genders, and all bodies as a celebration of the Aloha spirit that accompanies this incredible one-of-a-kind race week spectacle.
For more information the Kona Underpants Run, please visit www.ironmanfoundation.org/UPR/.
IRONMAN Foundation Athlete Team
The IRONMAN Foundation includes inspiring athletes from around the world who will race in support of its mission to create positive tangible change in race communities through grants and volunteerism efforts. Below are six IRONMAN Foundation athletes racing in the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship triathlon, highlighted due to their vigor for the sport of triathlon and exceptional service to IRONMAN communities worldwide.
- Adrienne Bunn: Adrienne is an 18-year-old Autistic woman and will be racing at the VinFast IRONMAN World Championship triathlon with IMF along with her friend Marylynne Stutzman who also has autism. Through determination, hard work, and a love for sport she has overcome adversity to prove that a diagnosis does not define an individual – and that women and girls everywhere can make their dreams a reality. She also hopes to achieve the World Record for first as well as the youngest known woman with autism to complete an IRONMAN World Championship triathlon, and that her showcase of resilience on the world stage will inspire other women and others with autism to make their own dreams a reality.
- Ashley Norton: Ashley Norton was a top junior golfer growing up, spending time at Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida. While there, she was shopping with her mother and dropped to the floor. She underwent several procedures to try to open her heart valve, and eventually had a pacemaker implanted. Following this event, she lost 190 pounds when she was 17 and went on to become a fitness trainer. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis while living in a domestic abuse shelter nearly five years ago, but it hasn’t slowed her down. She hopes to become the first known women with multiple sclerosis and a pacemaker to complete the IRONMAN World Championship triathlon.
- Akila O’Grady: Akila is a mom, athlete, mental health advocate, philanthropist, musician, and all-around lover of life. The younger of two, she was raised by very strong parents who instilled hard work, dedication, and teamwork. Growing up Akila cross trained from a young age. Over the years she competed in soccer, tennis, softball, and ultimately lettered in field hockey, basketball and track in high school. She would later continue the sport of field hockey at Indiana University as a member of the inaugural Field Hockey Team, playing for three years and serving as Captain for two. A mental health advocate, Akila finds the consistency of training combined with a focused target is key to her well-being and mental health. Akila’s love for philanthropy combined with endurance sport has led her to regular involvement with Bike to the Beach, Face of America, and Backpack Buddies. Akila is 10 years post-op for a full back fusion of the L4/L5. She hopes to model excellent habits, physically, mentally, and emotionally for her children who are also competitive student-athletes.
- Zsa-Zsa Porter: Zsa-Zsa is a very high energy mother of three and married to Lt. Colonel in the US Army. Zsa-Zsa has a passion for bringing food accessibility to all. She started working out with her husband, Jason, after having her third child left her feeling embarrassed to go outside and workout in front of others. When her husband had to go on leave, she sought out Black Girls Run and became involved with endurance sports. During the pandemic she felt like she wasn’t doing anything to help others. She could cook, so she decided she wanted to get out in the community and help people that did not have access to fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, fresh food overall. After losing her mom in July 2022, Zsa-Zsa adjusted her goals to get out more at Endurance Races, educating women, expanding Exposed Vegan, and more.
- Marlynne Stutzman: Marlynne began swimming before she could walk, earning her the nickname of “The Fish.” Marlynne lives with her dad in New Port Richey, Fla. and she has Autism. She has been a Special Olympics Florida athlete since 2010, and has participated in soccer, basketball, and track. Marlynne got into triathlon at the suggestion of her swim coach just a couple of years ago. She completed her first IRONMAN® 70.3® event this year at the IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman triathlon, racing with her friends, Kennet, Jonathan, and Chris. Together they became the largest contingent of athletes with an Intellectual Disability to race an IRONMAN 70.3 event to date. Just like her friend Adrienne, Marlynne also hopes to join her in becoming the first known female with autism to finish the IRONMAN World Championship.
- Pamela Wilson: Pamela is a triathlete who currently lives and trains in Memphis, Tenn., and is also a right arm amputee at the shoulder. Pam lost her right arm in a car accident when she was 20 years old. A few years passed by when she decided to get her life back together and she fell back into sports. Running turned into soccer which turned into marathons, and marathons turned into triathlons. In 2018, competing in only her second IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon, she won the Physically Challenged Division.
For more information on The IRONMAN Foundation and its programs visit www.ironmanfoundation.org.