Michelle Vesterby is always smiling and always happy to be on the Big Island. After a fourth and sixth here, is she ready to make it onto the podium?
Patrik Nilsson took eighth in Kona last year and he is hoping to move up in 2018. He had a great race in Frankfurt where he finished second to Jan Frodeno, but one spot in front of defending Ironman World Champion Patrick Lange, while running a 2:46:02 marathon.
Linsey Corbin is coming off a huge win at Ironman Wisconsin and has been working hard at a training camp in Arizona. She seems to be peaking at exactly the right time for her 12th Ironman World Championship.
Kathleen McCartney is the February 1982 Ironman World Champion. She is racing again in 2018 in honor of her friend and training partner Mike Levine, who is dealing with stage four Pancreatic Cancer.