1981 Ironman Hawaii

February 13, 1981 · Kona, HI, United States

Data: Ironman™ · Updated 7/5/2025 · Quality: unknownHow data works

Race editions

Switch year or compare this race across stored editions.

Distance

Iron (140.6 miles)

Middle Distance

Field size

20

10 men · 10 women

Men SOF

Unavailable

Women SOF

Unavailable

Race story in the data

Men: John Howard won in 9:38:29 with a +25:59 margin. James Butterfield had the fastest run (3:05:08).

Women: Linda Sweeney won in 12:00:32 with a +36:53 margin. Linda Sweeney had the fastest run (4:04:57).

Men race summary

10 finishers from 10 starters

Winner

John Howard

9:38:29

Winning margin

+25:59

Gap to second place

Fastest swim

Thomas Boughey · 56:26

Fastest bike

John Howard · 5:03:29

Fastest run

James Butterfield · 3:05:08

Top points

Unavailable

Women race summary

10 finishers from 10 starters

Winner

Linda Sweeney

12:00:32

Winning margin

+36:53

Gap to second place

Fastest swim

Linda Sweeney · 1:02:07

Fastest bike

Nancy Kummen · 6:26:06

Fastest run

Linda Sweeney · 4:04:57

Top points

Unavailable

Men split podiums

Fastest stored segment times. These are segment rankings, not cumulative race-position order.

Swim

1
Thomas Boughey
Finish 4
56:26
2
Jonathan Durst
Finish 8
58:07
3
Tom Warren
Finish 2
59:40

T1

Split unavailable.

Bike

1
John Howard
Finish 1
5:03:29
2
Jonathan Durst
Finish 8
5:33:47
3
Dante Dettamanti
Finish 6
5:36:15

T2

Split unavailable.

Run

1
James Butterfield
Finish 7
3:05:08
2
Scott Tinley
Finish 3
3:19:21
3
Dennis Hansen
Finish 5
3:21:10

Off-bike and off-run position order needs cumulative split-position data. ProTriStats currently stores segment times and segment ranks, so this page reports the fastest bike split rather than who entered T2 first.

Women split podiums

Fastest stored segment times. These are segment rankings, not cumulative race-position order.

Swim

1
Linda Sweeney
Finish 1
1:02:07
2
Georgia Gatch
Finish 7
1:05:37
3
Kika Walker
Finish 5
1:08:17

T1

Split unavailable.

Bike

1
Nancy Kummen
Finish 6
6:26:06
2
Linda Sweeney
Finish 1
6:53:28
3
Sally Edwards
Finish 2
6:58:36

T2

Split unavailable.

Run

1
Linda Sweeney
Finish 1
4:04:57
2
Lyn Brooks
Finish 3
4:08:57
3
Sally Edwards
Finish 2
4:10:19

Off-bike and off-run position order needs cumulative split-position data. ProTriStats currently stores segment times and segment ranks, so this page reports the fastest bike split rather than who entered T2 first.

PodiumMen

Winner time: 9:38:29

🥇#1

US

John Howard

9:38:29

🥈#2

US

Tom Warren

10:04:28

🥉#3

US

Scott Tinley

10:12:47

🥈#2

US

Tom Warren

10:04:28

🥇#1

US

John Howard

9:38:29

🥉#3

US

Scott Tinley

10:12:47

PodiumWomen

Winner time: 12:00:32

🥇#1

US

Linda Sweeney

12:00:32

🥈#2

US

Sally Edwards

12:37:25

🥉#3

Lyn Brooks

12:42:15

🥈#2

US

Sally Edwards

12:37:25

🥇#1

US

Linda Sweeney

12:00:32

🥉#3

Lyn Brooks

12:42:15

Men · Split Rank Flow

Top finishers by stored split rank. Lower lines are worse ranks; this is not cumulative race position at each checkpoint.

Top 8

John Howard1 Tom Warren2 Scott Tinley3 Thomas Boughey4 Dennis Hansen5 Dante Dettamanti6 James Butterfield7 Jonathan Durst8

Women · Split Rank Flow

Top finishers by stored split rank. Lower lines are worse ranks; this is not cumulative race position at each checkpoint.

Top 8

Linda Sweeney1 Sally Edwards2 Lyn Brooks3 Cynthia Marks4 Kika Walker5 Nancy Kummen6 Georgia Gatch7 Carol Laplant8

Men · Finish Time Distribution

Women · Finish Time Distribution

Male Pro Results

10 participants

1

US

9:38:29

Swim

1:11:12

Bike

5:03:29

Run

3:23:48

2

US

10:04:28

Swim

59:40

Bike

5:37:09

Run

3:27:49

3

US

10:12:47

Swim

1:05:34

Bike

5:47:52

Run

3:19:21

4

US

10:23:40

Swim

56:26

Bike

5:57:00

Run

3:30:14

5

10:26:43

Swim

1:03:48

Bike

6:01:45

Run

3:21:10

6

Dante Dettamanti

10:29:02

Swim

1:01:09

Bike

5:36:15

Run

3:41:38

7

James Butterfield

BM

10:31:26

Swim

1:27:48

Bike

5:58:30

Run

3:05:08

8

10:34:11

Swim

58:07

Bike

5:33:47

Run

4:02:17

9

10:38:15

Swim

1:02:26

Bike

5:49:40

Run

3:46:09

10

10:39:11

Swim

1:02:56

Bike

6:00:57

Run

3:25:28

Pos	Athlete	Time	Gap	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Points
1	John HowardUS	9:38:29	Winner	1:11:12	—	5:03:29	—	3:23:48	—
2	Tom WarrenUS	10:04:28	—	59:40	—	5:37:09	—	3:27:49	—
3	Scott TinleyUS	10:12:47	—	1:05:34	—	5:47:52	—	3:19:21	—
4	Thomas BougheyUS	10:23:40	—	56:26	—	5:57:00	—	3:30:14	—
5	Dennis Hansen	10:26:43	—	1:03:48	—	6:01:45	—	3:21:10	—
6	Dante Dettamanti	10:29:02	—	1:01:09	—	5:36:15	—	3:41:38	—
7	James ButterfieldBM	10:31:26	—	1:27:48	—	5:58:30	—	3:05:08	—
8	Jonathan Durst	10:34:11	—	58:07	—	5:33:47	—	4:02:17	—
9	Conrad Kress	10:38:15	—	1:02:26	—	5:49:40	—	3:46:09	—
10	Ronald Krueper	10:39:11	—	1:02:56	—	6:00:57	—	3:25:28	—

Female Pro Results

10 participants

1

US

12:00:32

Swim

1:02:07

Bike

6:53:28

Run

4:04:57

2

US

12:37:25

Swim

1:28:30

Bike

6:58:36

Run

4:10:19

3

12:42:15

Swim

1:20:07

Bike

7:13:11

Run

4:08:57

4

13:00:51

Swim

1:11:07

Bike

7:33:02

Run

4:16:42

5

13:33:29

Swim

1:08:17

Bike

7:21:47

Run

5:03:25

6

13:34:16

Swim

1:51:17

Bike

6:26:06

Run

5:16:43

7

14:21:00

Swim

1:05:37

Bike

7:23:36

Run

5:51:47

8

14:24:15

Swim

1:45:27

Bike

7:43:49

Run

4:54:59

9

14:44:07

Swim

2:10:44

Bike

7:48:50

Run

4:44:33

10

Patricia Specht

14:50:08

Swim

1:57:06

Bike

7:41:13

Run

5:11:49

Pos	Athlete	Time	Gap	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Points
1	Linda SweeneyUS	12:00:32	Winner	1:02:07	—	6:53:28	—	4:04:57	—
2	Sally EdwardsUS	12:37:25	—	1:28:30	—	6:58:36	—	4:10:19	—
3	Lyn Brooks	12:42:15	—	1:20:07	—	7:13:11	—	4:08:57	—
4	Cynthia Marks	13:00:51	—	1:11:07	—	7:33:02	—	4:16:42	—
5	Kika Walker	13:33:29	—	1:08:17	—	7:21:47	—	5:03:25	—
6	Nancy Kummen	13:34:16	—	1:51:17	—	6:26:06	—	5:16:43	—
7	Georgia Gatch	14:21:00	—	1:05:37	—	7:23:36	—	5:51:47	—
8	Carol Laplant	14:24:15	—	1:45:27	—	7:43:49	—	4:54:59	—
9	Christa Obara	14:44:07	—	2:10:44	—	7:48:50	—	4:44:33	—
10	Patricia Specht	14:50:08	—	1:57:06	—	7:41:13	—	5:11:49	—