More than 1,000 athletes compete in the Ironman World Championship every year.
The Ironman World Championship is one of the most grueling sporting events in the world. Competitors must swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run a marathon of 26.2 miles, all in the hot temperatures of Hawaii. Because of the Ironman Triathlon's status as one of the ultimate tests of endurance, only a select number of entrants may participate. Those hoping to compete in the triathlon have three options: qualify for the race in a specified event, win a spot in a lottery or outbid others for a spot in an eBay auction.
Instructions
Qualification
1. Find an event that serves as a qualifier for the Ironman World Championship. Ironman offers 28 events worldwide that act as qualifiers. These races may be the full Ironman distance or a distance referred to as 70.3, meaning a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run.
2. Finish the event at or near the top of your age group. A number of slots in each age group relative to the total number of participants in that group will earn a spot in the World Championship. The number of qualifiers per age group will vary depending on the event.
3. Claim your spot in person when registration opens for the World Championship. Check the event schedule to know when and where you need to attend. Participants must attend in person to ensure their spot is not given to someone else.
Lottery
4. Register for the Ironman World Championship lottery online. As of 2012, the cost to enter the lottery is $40. Participants can gain a second lottery entry by purchasing an Ironman Passport Club membership for $50, which can be done online through Active.com.
5. Visit ironman.com on the date of announcement to see if you have been chosen. Ironman chooses 200 people from the lottery to compete in the World Championship.
6. Complete an Ironman or Ironman 70.3 event within a year of the World Championship date. This is a necessity for lottery winners who want to participate in the World Championship. If you win a lottery spot, Ironman will notify you via e-mail and tell you claim your spot. Among other requirements, you will need to e-mail information that verifies you have completed a required Ironman event to Lottery@Ironman.com.
eBay Auction
7. Find the date when the eBay auction for slots in the Ironman World Championship starts. Ironman auctions four slots in the race and gives proceeds to charity.
8. Log in to your eBay account, and place a bid in the auction. The opening bid for a slot in the Ironman World Championship is $10,000.
9. Follow the auction, and continue placing bids in hopes of posting the highest amount of money. Each slot available in the eBay auction sells for an average of about $40,000. Winners receive entrance to the race, as well as access to VIP events during the race week.
Tags: World Championship, Ironman World, Ironman World Championship, Championship lottery, eBay auction, group will, Ironman event