After our last post how a Waikoloa family dealt with the challenges of the recent Kohala Coast earth quake, we feel it's time to go on with life, just as everybody else on the island does.
Yes, believe it or not, earth quake or not...not even a full week after the 6.9 earth quake rattled the Kona and Kohala Coast on Sunday 10/15/06 the 2006 Hawaii Ironman, Triathlon World Championship took place in Kailua Kona October 21. Kona was full of visitors and athletes from all over the world expecting another spectacular triathlon. And this is what they got.
This Ironman will be for ever in the memory of Big Island visitors and Ironman athletes alike as the 'race with the earthquake'. After a 6.9 earthquake had hit the the West coast of the Big Island on Sunday morning 10/15/06 at 7am, just one week before Ironman and left Big Island visitors, athletes and residents shaking, trembling and wondering whether there would be an Ironman this year, it was soon clear that the island and its people had gotten away with a big scare but minor injuries and building damage.
In the days before the earthquake hit, Kona was unusually hot and humid, and in the days after, the area got slammed with a series of torrential downpours of uncharacteristic intensity and duration. On the day of the Ironman, skies were overcast and no heavy winds troubled the athletes on their bike ride from Kona to Hawi and back. It seemed that Pele had made peace with the athletes. It was all going so well, right up until 7:20 pm, over twelve hours into the race when a torrential downpur happened in Alii Dr, the home stretch of the Ironman World Championship.
Athletes had to make it through knee deep high water to make it to the finish line. About one hour later the downpour stopped and the water receded allowing athletes to cross the finish line under more regular conditions, some after they ran for 10 and more miles in dripping wet shoes and clothes and others, the luckier ones, totally dry. Read more about the 2006 Ironman Championship in Hawaii on the Ironman official site.
Find 2006 Ironman results on our website. West Hawaii Today has in addition to the Official Ironman website (see link above) lots of great stories about this year's Ironman available. Don't miss those. We are certain all our Big Island visitors who stayed on our beautiful island during the Ironman week will have quite some stories to tell when coming home to the mainland.
Be assured that life is back to normal on the Kohala Coast. Vacation rental owners along the West Coast are looking forward to your visit. You will find SPECIAL rates for your stay on the Kohala Coast in November here.
A hui hou and aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide
p.s.
We have found this great video on YouTube about the Big Island Ironman Triathlon and would like to share it with all the Hawaii travelers who have never seen the Hawaii Ironman and plan a visit to the Big Island.
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