Kona 2017’s Age Groupers

This year more than 110,000 athletes vied for a slot to the Ironman World Championship, and 2,350 athletes earned the right to race in Kona.

Photo: Competitive Image / @CompImagePh

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2017 — Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

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2017 — Canada’s Alexandre Boule on the bike. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Germany’s Dirk Niederau. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Australia’s Ian Lack. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Canada’s Carl Desruisseaux. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Germany’s Jan Selnes. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — A group of athletes make their way down the Queen K. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Team Hoyt. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Team Hoyt at the 2017 Ironman World Championship

2017 — Athletes march through the Energy Lab, the toughest part of the marathon course. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — An athlete runs through the Energy Lab. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — That’s one way to cool down! Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — The volunteers are a huge part of the race. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Athletes run in and out of the Energy Lab. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — A busy time on the Queen K. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — South Africa’s Helen Susannah Webb was the first visually impaired female athlete to complete Ironman South Africa. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — American Ellen Hart on the run. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

Athletes — Athletes on the Hoka-sponsored run course at the 2017 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i.

2017 — Athletes get much needed hydration and nutrition at an aid station at the 2017 Ironman World Championship. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Athletes do anything and everything to stay cool on the blazing marathon course. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — The Energy Lab remains busy as the suns start to set on race day. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Poland’s Wojtek Szeliga on his way to a 11:43:04 finish. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — After the Energy Lab athletes are in the homestretch of the marathon. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

2017 — Even though the sun sets on racing, there are still about six hours to go. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image

This year more than 110,000 athletes vied for a slot to the Ironman World Championship, and 2,350 athletes earned the right to race in Kona. Here photographer Paul Phillips shares images from the epic day of racing on Oct. 14.