Originally Posted by hhnngg1

No, if you finish any triathlon with the distance of the Kona race, you can call yourself an Ironman.

Technically, "Ironman" is a trademarked name by World Triathlon Corporation , which is different than the International Triathlon Union (ITU). WTC is a commercial group primarily out to make money, whereas ITU is more of a competitive triathlon organization focused on world-class Olympic-distance racing. (Much, much shorter than an Ironman, but typically on elite athletes or budding elites participate in their big races.)

Kona, however, is the world championship for the long Ironman race, and you can either qualify for it by winning a slot in another IM race prior to it, or trying to get a lottery spot (of which there are very few.) Ramsey is a celeb, and there are a few special reserved spots for celebs who can bring particular media attention to the race, so he doesn't have to qualify.

Qualifying for Kona today typically means you're amongst the top 5 amateur triathletes who race iron-distance in your state, maybe top 20 in a large state like CA. It's hard - these guys typically beat a handful of professional triathletes in races (pro triathletes have to meet certain time standards, so it's not as easy as calling yourself pro.)