FEATURE STORY
FEATURE STORY
KO N A T I M E L I N E
Tri Travel have been travelling to Kona for 16 years helping over 1000 athletes to the holy grail on Alii Drive.
Each year the team at Tri Travel create an itinerary designed to help the athlete see the course before the
race, relax during the final few days and provide some expert knowledge and fun along the way. Here is a
timeline of what to expect on the Tri Travel Hawaii Tour.
D AY 1
D AY 6
Always the hardest day in Kona. Athletes and their
travelling partners are tired and often bikes do not
arrive on the same flight causing some angst. But
the team at Tri Travel collect all the missing luggage
and deliver it to the athletes later that night.
Time for the spectators to relax and unwind while
their athletes sleep (and look after the kids for the
night). This night is always a great get-together for
all the support crews to relax, and compare notes
about their (high maintenance) athlete!
D AY 2
D AY 7
Now the tour starts to be fun. Tri Travel take the
crew out to the Queen K Hig hway and run 14km
in and out of the famous Energy Lab. The first real
taste of what’s to come.
This event is almost bigger than race day now with
over 2000 people running around in their Undies.
Lots of Tri Travel crew love taking their clothes off!
ARRIVAL IN KONA
GAINING ENERGY IN THE ENERGY LAB
D AY 3
REALITY CHECK ON THE KAWAIHII RIDE
Starting at 7am Tri Travel drive the team over the
bike course, finishing the bus tour at Kawaiihi. From
there the athletes ride 55km back to the RoyalKona
Resort, stopping at Scenic Lookout for some
refreshments. Later that night we have the team
dinner and present the Tri Travel kit including the
new edition Boca Trucker Hat.
D AY 4
BELINDA'S SWIM TIPS
Today Tri Travel pick up the athletes from their
hotel and take them to the King Kam Hotel where
they meet Belinda Granger who explains the course
and then swims a few kilometers with the team,
pointing out the best place to start and what to
look for to help you swim the best line possible.
D AY 5
COFFEE. SWIM. RELAX
Easy day today. A quick coffee at the beach with the
team, an easy swim, then relaxing after shopping.
Later that afternoon the team join the Parade of
Nations.
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COCKTAILS AND DREAMS
UNDIES ARE US
D AY 8
MILLION DOLLAR BABIES
A nervous day for the athletes as they check in their
gear with 2400 other athletes onto the Kona Pier. A
lot of money sits on that pier overnight.
D AY 9
ON YOUR MARKS
Race day is here and while the athletes let the
pressure off at the start of the race, it rarely
subsides for the spectators who are on edge all
day until their loved one crosses the line. The Tri
Travel tour bus takes the spectators out to the heart
of the race – the Queen K Highway, where we get
a real taste of the heat and wind the athletes are
experiencing.
D AY 1 0
HOW GOOD ARE WE?
The Tri Travel breakfast is the time for everyone to
get together and recap the day and at the end of
the breakfast they relive the week with the famous
Tri Travel team video.