Kenneth Gasque, born in Copenhagen (Denmark) in 1950, is the man behind IRONMAN Lanzarote. Athlete and dreamer, he was a royal guard of Queen Margaret in Denmark, before sports led him to a brilliant personal and professional adventure, which in 1983 brought him to Lanzarote to work at Club La Santa.
His passion for sports led him to compete in the Ironman of Hawaii in the years 1985, 1987, 1989 and 2005, being the first Danish citizen to compete in the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona. Impressed by the similarities between the islands of Hawaii and Lanzarote, both volcanic and offering challenging conditions, he had the idea of creating a qualifying race in Lanzarote. As a result of his vision and effort, in 1992 the first edition of IRONMAN Lanzarote was held.
Gasque always dreamed of promoting sports as a healthy lifestyle and began to develop this idea at Club La Santa. Those who know him highlight "his personal drive and ability to spread his enthusiasm", with great vitality that he continues to display today.
His activity in sports entrepreneurship on the island was incessant, creating a multitude of events that are still being held in 2025:
- 1984 - Volcano Triathlon, when the Spanish Triathlon Federation did not yet exist.
- 1988 - International Running Challenge, a 4-day running event.
- 1989 - Lanzarote International Marathon
- 2008 - Music Marathon Festival, a social event on the street, running race with live music
- 2009 - Lanzarote Wine Run, a running event in the wine region of Lanzarote
- 2010 - Ocean Lava Triathlon - www.oceanlava.com
Today, all these events are part of the sports activities of the Lanzarote Tourist Office, through the European Sports Destination brand. Along with these events, Kenneth also launched Aerobics Weeks, Cycling Weeks, Triathlon Weeks, Dance Weeks and many more at Club La Santa.
Other races of his creation were:
- Club La Santa Duathlon (January)
- Lanzarote PowerMan Duathlon (November)
- Off Road Marathon for MTB and Runners (June)
- Isla de Fuego MTB Race (March)
- Club La Santa International Veteran Tennis Trophies (March/April)
- Ridge Run - Race to the Edge of the Volcano (March)
- 3 Stages Off Road Marathon (June)
- Club La Santa International Half Triathlon (September)
- Club La Santa International Bike Tour (November)
Acknowledgements of his career
For his contribution to the island of Lanzarote and to sports, Kenneth Gasque received an important list of awards:
- 1995 - César Manrique Trophy
- 1998 - Government of the Canary Islands. Silver Medal
- 2009 - Cabildo de Lanzarote, Silver Medal "Excellent Tourism"
- 2011 - Rotary Club Lanzarote - Conejero of the Year
- 2013 - Government of the Canary Islands, Gold Medal "Excellent Tourism"
- 2014 - Cabildo de Lanzarote, Gold Medal "Excellent Tourism"
- 2021 - IRONMAN Hall of Fame, Hawaii
- 2022 - Bronze Medal of Honor of Denmark, presented by Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark
The statue in honor of Kenneth is already shining, where the IRONMAN finish line was located, in the heart of the maritime avenue of Puerto del Carmen.