Even the most optimistic of minds would have a hard time imagining the success Lavaman has had over its 16-year existence.
An event with fewer than 100 local athletes in its inaugural year, Lavaman has evolved into a two-race series, hosting more than 2,000 athletes annually from around the world and raising millions of dollars for causes from Ankylosing Spondylitis to Leukemia.
But at the start, Lavaman was never intended to become the race it is today.
In 1997, race director Gerry Rott was approached by a Japanese tour group to organize a triathlon on the Big Island — something she was familiar with through prior work with the group, being a veteran Ironman official and staging her own events through her local bike shop, B&L Bike and Sports.
After the tedious work was done and Rott was putting the final touches on the event, the group called and canceled in wake of the 1997 Japanese financial crisis.
Disappointed, but determined, Rott decided the race must go on.
“We had done all the work, so we decided to make it a local event and see how many people do it,” Rott said.
On short notice, 87 athletes showed up to the inaugural Lavaman, and while the number of participants was not tremendous, the experience was.
“After the first event I met with everyone and we knew it was too good not to do again,” Rott said.
Rott spent the next year working on ways to improve the race and trademarking the Lavaman name. Since then, Rott estimates that the Waikoloa race has grown by 100 participants each year and said the Keauhou race is on a similar same pace.
Today, in its fifth year, Lavaman Keauhou will have more than 500 participants. However, Rott sees the Keauhou race having a ceiling closer the 800 athletes as opposed to the Waikoloa event now hosts 1,800 athletes annually.
Rott also credits Lavaman’s growth on being fortunate enough to have host hotels that were patient enough to see the events grow into a profitable opportunity.
Now, Lavaman Waikoloa is responsible for 2,200 room nights at Hilton Waikoloa annually, while the Keauhou race saw a huge spike in room nights booked at the Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay from 87 in 2012, to nearly 400 this year.
A good cause
For a triathlon of any size, a tight-knit, experienced committee overseeing the event and group of volunteers on the ground making things run smoothly are the most important ingredients for success. Rott has both.
Just over 600 volunteers will be on the course today. An event does not get that magnitude of support out of the blue though. Lavaman has show support to its Big Island roots.
With the success of Lavaman Waikoloa, the start list fills up almost immediately. This has given Lavaman the opportunity to give back by offering charity slots after the race is sold out. The money made from those slots is given to local non-profit groups who volunteer on race days.
Along with supporting local groups, Lavaman has become a leading partner with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training triathlon program.
“The Team in Training program got in contact with us asking to reserve 25 slots in 2002,” Rott said. “They had experience with marathons but we were the first triathlon.”
Lavaman now holds more than 475 slots open for the group between the Keauhou and Waikoloa events and raises nearly 2.5 million through Lavaman for Leukemia and Lymphoma research.
“It’s not rocket science to do,” said Rott. “I just had the right people and the right team who have fun doing it and are always willing to come back for more.”
Safety first
The safety of the athletes is the top priority at nearly every sporting event.
However, Rott experienced personally tragedy with safety issues in the sport when her husband was killed while out on a cycling training ride in 1994.
Since the incident, Rott has gone above and beyond to make the safety of athletes a priority.
“We know the race is an inconvenience to the community and we try and balance the safety of the athletes with convince to the community,” Rott said. “But with so many cyclist on the road, we are going to have to close down some roads — that’s something I’m very sensitive about.
“It’s still a sport that is not 100 percent safe, but knowing we did all we can will help me sleep at night.”
Lasting gratification
Rott and her crew strive to put on a first-class race that keeps both athletes and volunteers coming back year after year. However, doing that is a year-round duty for Rott that culminates on race week.
“The whole week leading up is the most stressful and a lot of work,” said Rott. “Once we get through the last cyclist on the course I’m able to relax a little.”
A funny coincidence came after the first year of race when Rott trademarked the Lavaman name.
Kona Brewing Company was working with the Hilton Waikoloa Village to create a private label beer. What the brewers had in mind was a red ale with the name, “Lavaman.”
Rott and Kona Brew Pub worked out an agreement for the Lavaman name, and now every year the Brew Pub provides the event with a hearty supply of beer for the post-race festivities.
The partnership has become such a success that Triathlon Magazine named the Big Island based event the best awards party in the sport.
“I’m really tense till the bike is over, but after that, I’m able to look out and everyone is smiling — having a beer, laughing. It’s a real good feeling.
“My son, Tyson, will pat me on the shoulder and say, ‘Mom, look what you did.’ That’s just a great feeling.”
