By Kendra Mahon | Ironman

Jan War has always had a connection with the ocean. Raised on the island of Oahu before moving to Kailua-Kona in 1975 after college, War has never been far from a shoreline.

“I was always on, in or under the ocean in some way,” he says. “Swimming, diving, surfing, lifeguarding – I naturally gravitated to it.”

This natural gravitation eventually led War to volunteer on the swim course of a little race called the Ironman World Championship in 1981.

A close friend who was volunteering asked War to help him set up the course at that year’s race.

“We were in charge of setting up the start line from a coconut tree on the pier to the seawall along Alii Drive,” he remembers. “Our main job, though, was to come up with a group of volunteers to set up matting on the boat ramp for the swim exit – to help athletes get off their feet and on their way to the bike.”

War continued to donate this time each year to assisting with the swim course. He began to work closely with then Swim Director, Mo Matthews, who asked War if he would like to take over his role in 1987.

“I said yes … and I had no idea what I was getting into,” War laughs. “But Mo already had a great group of coordinators in the community who are like family to me. It was like walking into something that was already set up, although I have made a lot of changes since then.”

Over the years, War has added several new functions, including seven new coordinators, hundreds of volunteers, a kayak safety patrol and an Assistant Swim Director. In addition, both the swim start and finish locations have been moved to accommodate more athletes.

Since the mid-80s, the Ironman World Championship participant count has skyrocketed — from 450 athletes to approximately 1,800. With so many competitors to keep track of on the swim course, there have been some hectic moments over the years.

“In the early days, we had a warning horn that would go off five minutes before the start,” War says. “One year, that went off and about four hundred athletes took off swimming. We had to block the course and get everyone back to the line to start on time, so that was pretty crazy to deal with.”

War continues, “The most intense time for me each year is the 10 to 15 minutes of terror it can take to determine that everyone is accounted for after the swim cut-off. Once that is determined, it is always a soothing moment.”

Although the swim portion of the Ironman World Championship is a small part of the single-day event, the effort and planning needed to make it a success are considerable.

“I think about Ironman 24 hour hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year,” War says. “I’m always thinking of ways to make improvements and adjustments, especially when it comes to making things run smoother for the swim staff.”

War, who also acts as Swim Director for three other annual triathlons on the Big Island, has 31 years of experience executing one of the most intense moments in sports. And while War has worked on other events, it’s the Ironman World Championship that he calls the “greatest show on earth.”

“You get to see some of the fittest athletes in the world race each other on one of the most beautiful stages on the planet,” War says. “We probably have the most picturesque swim course of any triathlon. It’s like an aquarium out there, dolphins often swim with the athletes – how cool is that?”

In addition to the energy and enthusiasm he says the the athletes, volunteers, and staff bring, there is also the energy of the island itself; War says this comes from “the earth, the sky and the water. Bring it all together and it’s quite a show,” he adds. “It’s like a three-ring circus is coming to town.”

With the event a little more than a month away, War and his team are in the full swing of their preparations. As intense and chaotic as things may get, this veteran volunteer couldn’t be happier to be a part of the madness.

“It’s fun to be involved with such an exciting event that takes such good care of not only the athletes, but of the volunteers and the community as well,” War says. “Ironman is one of the best things that ever happened to Kona and the state of Hawaii.”

— Find out more:
www.ironman.com