2025 women’s Ironman World Championships in Kona in photos

This year’s Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii were packed with drama. See how all the race action unfolded in photos, from the early-morning swim to celebratory finish chute…

Going into the Ironman World Championships there were several key athletes to watch this year. Great Britain’s Lucy Charles-Barclay, 2023 winner and previous Kona champ was on the start line, as was Germany’s Laura Philipps who took the title in Nice in 2024.

Also starting were American athletes Taylor Knibb and Chelsea Sodaro, GB’s Kat Matthews and Holly Lawrence and Norwegian World Champs rookie Solveig Lovseth. Here’s how all the action unfolded on the day, but read on below for our photo gallery from the day.

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Leading from the swim

It came as no surprise that GB’s Lucy Charles-Barclay (aka ‘the mermaid’) had a commanding lead within the first few hundred metres of the 3.8km swim.

Charles-Barclay exited the water in 49:26 – a mere 72sec slower than her own course record set in 2018. American Taylor-Knibb was hot on her heels and out onto the bike course.

The two athletes led the bike with Knibb taking the lead and Charles-Barclay received a 1min penalty for unintentional littering.

Meanwhile Chelsea Sodaro was heading backwards through the field and the 2022 world champion would ultimately call it quits before reaching the turnaround at Hawi – the first pro woman to post a DNF on a gruelling day for many.

Heat stress hits

The infamous Kona conditions started to hit hard though and as the run progressed, both lead athletes were taking care at the aid stations to hydrate and cool down using the supplied water and ice.

In the final third of the marathon, Charles-Barclay started walking through the aid stations and was looking increasingly unsteady on her feet – despite pulling out her infamous run form inbetween walk breaks. In the end her husband Reece Barclay, who also supports Lucy with her training, met her on the course and they made the call.

With Charles-Barclay out of contention, it started to look like a sure thing that Knibb would take the win. However with only just over two miles remaining, Knibb slowed to a walk through an aid station, getting much needed fluids on board. Unable to start running again, a heartbreaking moment saw Knibb come to a stop at the side of the highway and sit down, unable to carry on.

All change at the front

With the two lead athletes posting a DNF, the attention turned to the battle behind. With just a handful of miles remaining Løvseth suddenly found herself in the lead but the fastest runner on course was GB’s Kat Matthews, who was going to do everything in her power to catch the Norwegian.

In the end the Norwegian took the tape, rounding off a stunning year for the nation who also saw an all-Norwegian podium at the men’s Ironman World Champs in Nice last month.

Matthews clocked the fastest run of the day, setting a new course run best – but ultimately ran out of road and finished just 35 seconds behind Løvseth

Defending champion Germany’s Laura Philipp rounded out the podium.