We, the undersigned, stand in support of equitable representation for women in the Ironman World Championship events.

Recent changes announced by Ironman for 2026 propose allocating age group World Championship slots based solely on proportional participation. While we recognize the importance of operational efficiency and filling slots, this approach severely disadvantages competitive female athletes—many of whom may finish in the top overall standings but still fail to qualify due to limited or single-slot availability in their age group.

This decision risks reversing years of progress toward gender equity in triathlon and could discourage female participation across all levels.

We respectfully call on Ironman to:

Allocate age group slots equally—50% to men and 50% to women—at all qualifying events.
Reallocate any unused slots through a transparent, merit-based system (e.g., performance-based lottery) to ensure fairness and uphold the competitive standard of the World Championship.
Reaffirm its commitment to growing female participation and representation across the sport.
Ironman has taken important steps in recent years, including the introduction of a standalone women’s World Championship race day. Now is the time to continue that momentum by creating a qualification system that supports and celebrates equity.

Let’s ensure the future of triathlon remains inclusive, fair, and aspirational for all athletes.

Sign this petition to show Ironman that the triathlon community supports gender equity on and off the course.