A tropical paradise and holiday island of Japan, Ishigaki is the longest serving ITU event having run for 14 years since 1996. Athletes are household names here, with multiple winners enjoying unprecedented fame throughout the land. Courtney Atkinson has won here 5 times, Emma Carney 3.

It is not only the elite that flock to Ishigaki, age group athletes from all over Japan and Oceania come to the test themselves against the best of the region.

The event is special to the heart of so many athletes and we take a look behind the scenes to see what makes this event so inimitable.