Wettkampfstimmung in Kona...

How could a Hawaiian vacation day start better than with snorkeling? For this we go to Honaunau Bay, an hour's drive from our accommodation. Arriving here, we first set up our camp, because we plan to stay here for a while, the journey should be worth it. So look for a nice spot for our beach chairs - but you must not misunderstand this, because we are not on the beach here, but rather on black lava rock, after all, Big Island is known for its numerous lava bays. So today is all about comfortable snorkeling, after yesterday's adventure, it has to be done...

After a first snorkeling session, we take a longer break and relax a bit - writing postcards, reading and enjoying the fantastic view are on the program. From the shore you can already see the yellow fish in the water, the sea is so clear that you could endlessly look into the distance. At some point we go back into the water, today both the reef and the fish are convincing.

https://vimeo.com/364455575

We have come up with a very original photo shoot, see it for yourself in the pictures! :)

After just under two hours at Honaunau Bay, we start the return journey. In Kona, I, who still can't get enough of the water, go for a swim. The lanes are increasingly filling up with triathletes. Afterwards, we have refreshing pineapple & co at home before heading back to Kona in the afternoon.

Here we discover Ironman changes day by day, since today there is a huge banner there with the names of all participants printed on it, so we have to immediately look for 'Lange', 'Frodeno' and 'Kienle'. We discover them all - but only in writing and not 'live'. But what is not yet can still become, and if not, then at the latest at the World Championship itself.

In addition, we are there up close when a poster for signatures and wishes for all triathletes is erected and we are actually the very first ones to be allowed to leave our mark there. This is a matter of luck, last year when we were here, this poster was already so full of writing that there was hardly any space left for our names, and this time we can choose an honorary place for ourselves. So I write 'Swim like Kienle, ride like Frodeno, run like Lange - we wish all triathletes the best of success' and hope that these words might be read by one of the three...

Then we watch the athletes at the Kona Pier for a while and stay there until sunset, where the last ones come out of the water. For them, a sporty day comes to an end and for us an equally eventful one...