Dr Richard Callow and Nigel Quaye will fly the Manx flag as competitors in the Ironman World Championship, being held in Hawaii this Saturday, October 26.

The Ironman event consists of a 2.4-mile open-water swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a run of 26.2 miles. It’s described as ‘the ultimate test of body, mind and spirit’.

Richard, 41, from Union Mills, took part in his first Ironman event in Norway, where he works as a geologist, in 2018. He has since competed internationally.

He qualified for the World Championship at an Ironman event held in Wales in 2022, when he was 58th out of 1,706 finishers, and 10th in his age group.

Richard is already in Hawaii acclimatising and training.

Glen Vine man Quaye is a well-known member of the island’s tri community and has represented the Isle of Man in triathlon at the 2023 Island Games. 

He has previously raced the 70.3 World Championships in the mainland USA. 

Nigel qualified for the race in Ironman Cork last year in horrific racing conditions. He was second in his age group and a phenomenal 21st overall which gave him automatic qualification to the World Championships.

He will be joined in Hawaii by his wife Nicola, parents and children, with the latter, Bella and Austin, taking on the kids’ Ironman run race this week too.  Bella (11) is an accomplished triathlete in her own right already.

A swimmer by trade, Quaye is expected to make a good start and be out of the water swiftly. 

It is a tough course with high temperatures and winds on the infamous Queen K. Highway but the Manx pair will aim to take it in their stride.

The organisers say the event is ‘the pinnacle of the triathlon landscape and an iconic global sporting event’.