Here in Kona, Olivier Bernhard, co-founder of On, hosted an evening with six of the brand’s professional triathletes: Paula Findlay, Kat Matthews, Julie Derron, Kristian Blummenfelt, Gustav Iden, and Solveig Løvseth.

If there’s one thing that strikes us, it’s the strength of On’s roster. These are undeniably some of the biggest powerhouses in triathlon, and some of the sport’s very best runners. They’re also athletes who, given their success, likely have their pick of shoe sponsors.

And the results speak for themselves. Blummenfelt ran the fastest-ever Ironman 70.3 run split in Nice this year, clocking an astonishing 1:05:12, while Iden set a new Kona marathon course record just yesterday in 2:36:58.

On the women’s side, Derron clocked the fastest women’s run split at this year’s Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice, an impressive 1:13:04.

Before we dive into Kona and take a closer look at the shoes these athletes selected for race day, let’s go back to where it all began. Bernhard shared the story of On’s beginnings with us here in Kona, and it’s a fascinating one.

From a Garden Hose to a Global Running Brand

Olivier himself took the stage, framed by a beautiful Hawaiian sunset at a beachfront property, to share the story of how On came to be.

A three-time world champion and six-time Ironman champion, Bernhard had, at that time, already run a cumulative distance greater than the circumference of the globe. So the shoe was born from someone deeply immersed in the sport, with an intimate understanding of running and a desire to create something better: a shoe that could deliver a “new feeling” for running while also helping reduce running-related injuries.

With an inventor’s energy and pride, Bernhard shared how he took to his garage with a garden hose to craft the first prototype. Too embarrassed to let the shoes see the light of day, he initially wore them indoors or at night, testing how they felt and continuing to refine his creation around that original premise.

As On’s shoe lineup continues to evolve, athlete involvement and feedback remain central to the development process, this time through the professional athletes representing the brand today. Blummenfelt emphasized that his involvement is both real and significant, far from tokenistic. He sees it as a genuine partnership between brand and athlete, with both working toward maximizing performance and the feel of the shoe.

On Shoes on the Kona Race Course

As for the World Championship this weekend, the shoes, and their athletes, performed exceptionally well!

Iden finished second, setting a new Kona marathon course record of 2:36:58 in the On Cloudboom Strike 2 Lightspray, while also securing the Ironman Pro Series title.

Derron finished third on her Kona debut, completing a 2:58:54 marathon in the Cloudboom Strike 2. She started as the fastest runner on course before encountering some mid-run adversity, including a brief walking stretch on the Queen K. But she dug deep mentally, found her run legs again, and battled her way onto the podium.

Just behind her, Matthews finished fourth, also wearing the Cloudboom Strike 2. Her 2:52:50 marathon was the second-fastest women’s run split of the day, bringing her back into the top four and helping her climb five positions in the Pro Series standings to finish third overall.

Back on the men’s side, Pierre Le Corre finished fifth on his Kona debut, running an incredibly impressive 2:38:50 marathon, the third-fastest men’s run behind Iden and winner Vincent Luis. His shoe of choice was the On Cloudboom Strike 2 Lightspray.

And then there’s Løvseth. She almost won the race. Anyone who watched knows. What unfolded in the closing stages was both historic and heartbreaking, but also a remarkable display of grit, heart, and perseverance. While she ultimately crossed the line in eighth, she secured second in the Pro Series and embodied both the spirit of Ironman as well as On’s commitment to continually pushing the limits of performance.