by Sofia Williams
The 50th anniversary of the Hermosa Beach Ironman is to be commemorated in a book by South Bay photographer Chris Miller, featuring coverage by fellow South Bay photographers.
This Friday, June 30, the Hermosa Beach Museum will host a 50th Anniversary retrospective of the Hermosa Ironman, starting at 6 p.m.
Hermosa Ironman competitors run a mile in the soft sand, and paddle a mile on surfboards. Then, in a twist from traditional Ironmans, instead of cycling, competitors must chug a six pack of beer, without upheaving. The event ends with competitors and spectators dancing in a mosh pit to music by a local punk band.
“The photos that I’m getting are just spectacular,” said Miller. “Every photographer who has ever lived in the South Bay has covered this event at one time or another. The book is going to be a collection of everyone’s best work; I’m just gathering it.”
“The Ironman represents so much of our independence and our uniqueness,” Miller said. “It’s the last of the free-for-alls. There are very few places where you can express yourself and be free, and nobody gets hurt.”
The Ironman began in 1973 in Manhattan Beach. It moved to Hermosa Beach in 1980 when Manhattan police told competitors not to come back.
Spyder Surf founder Dennis Jarvis said he helped move the Ironman to the beach at 30th Street in Hermosa. When Hermosa police kicked the event off the beach, it moved to a house on The Strand. In subsequent years, it moved to vacant lots, and eventually back to the beach.
“My roommate, Dave Forrest, was a triathlete. He used to win the running and paddling, but couldn’t keep his six packs down. I stepped away from it in 1984 after parents started coming into my surf shop complaining about it. I didn’t tell them I was responsible for bringing it to Hermosa.
“‘Burgie’ (Robert Benz, a longtime competitor) has received a lot of criticism for his involvement in the Ironman, especially after he was elected to the City Council in 1991. There were even attempts to recall him for his involvement,” Miller said.
One year, the Hawaiian Ironman attempted to sue the Hermosa Ironman for copyright infringement, but was unable to find anyone to accept responsibility for the competition. Another year, a “Deflategate” scandal erupted when the winner was accused of having decarbonated his six pack with pin holes to make the beers easier to keep down.
“I’ve been around [the Ironman] since the ‘80s,” Miller said. “After I first covered it for The Beach Reporter, I kept going back because it’s fun to photograph. It has turned into a little bit of a sideshow for spectators, but the real joy of it is its community impact. Last year we had about 600 participants. Our goal on the 50th anniversary is to raise $50,000, and give it right back to the community.”
Since 2009, when Benz and his wife Patricia began managing the entry fees, the proceeds have all gone to charities, including the Jimmy Miller Foundation, Cooper Cure, and the ALS Association.
“A lot of anonymous money is donated,” Miller said. “During the pandemic, Ironman donated money and gift cards to out-of-work bar and restaurant workers. The money goes back into the community in all kinds of ways.”
Miller plans to self-publish the book in November with the help of a local printer. ER
