An update to this story: Bob Knuckey did grab his fourth Ironman World Championship in Nice! Bob wasn’t just the oldest athlete to finish the race; his 14:57:40 finishing time won the 75 to 79 age group, and it also would have put him in third place in the 70 to 74 age group as well. A big congrats to Caledon’s Ironman Bob Knuckey!
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Many Caledon citizens likely have seen Bob Knuckey riding around Caledon’s hills, running on the local rail trail and swimming in the local Caledon James Dick Quarry.
Bob Knuckey is a 75 year old phenom. While others his age are slowing down, Bob spent the last 12 months swim-bike-running in preparation for the Ironman World Championships. Normally held in Hawaii, Bob won the World title when he turned 70. This year the Ironman World Champs have moved to the mountainous area of Nice France. Knuckey and other local C3 supporters have been in Nice for a week getting use to the mountains and the hot weather. Bob Knuckey was a school teacher in Caledon for 38 years and continues to work at the Caledon Ski Club in the winter.
Already a 3x World Champion, Knuckey is trying to set the world record in Nice AND win the World Championships. The 2.4 mile swim is on the warm Mediterranean while the 112 mile bike ride is through the challenging mountains followed by a 42km marathon along the promenade in Nice. The top sports media company in France was so intrigued by Bob Knuckey’s story that they interviewed him on his incredible journey. The 2023 Ironman World Championship is Sunday morning at 7am.
