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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:40 p.m., Friday, October 10, 2008

Ironman competition selects Kona as official coffee

By KARIN STANTON
For The Associated Press

ON THE WEB

Ironman Store: www.ironmanstore.com

Kona Coffee Farmers Association: www.konacoffeefarmers.org

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KAILUA-KONA, Hawai'i — The Ironman World Championship has made 100 percent Kona coffee an official brew, hoping to make up for an embarrassing gaffe last year when it angered Big Island farmers by naming a Guatemalan bean its official coffee.

One-pound bags of Kona coffee are available at the Ironman retail store, at Lava Java coffee shop on Ali'i Drive and through Ironman's Web site.

But the world-famous triathlon competition hasn't abandoned the South American beans: the Ironman World Triathlon Corp. also considers Peruvian and Guatemalan coffees official brews and sells both on its Web site.

The Kona product comes from Nancy Griffith's Aama Coffee Farm in Captain Cook. Griffith said she has lingering anger from last year but was pleased to sell 600 pounds of green beans to Ironman through the Kona Coffee Farmers Association.

"It was a good move on their part. They're certainly doing the right thing and they certainly have learned that Kona grows coffee," she said. "I'm absolutely delighted. It's awesome. It's the finest coffee in the world for the finest athletes in the world."

Ironman World Triathlon Corp. introduced its first official coffee last year. But it had to quickly withdraw the product and issue an apology when Kona farmers and coffee industry leaders found out it was Guatemalan.

"We are excited to be offering 100 percent organic coffee from Kona this year," said Blair LaHaye, Ironman communications director. "Having local coffee for our 30th year symbolizes the importance of Kona and Ironman's heritage."

This year's triathlon is scheduled to be held on Saturday.