新しいアイアンマン70.3が発表された。会場はフレデリックヴァンリルデなどアイアンマンチャンピオン輩出のベルギーKNOKKE-HEIST。10年以上ぶりの開催は、来年2023年9月17日となり、受付は10月4日より開始予定となっている。
以下、大会NEWSとなる。
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IRONMAN RETURNS TO BELGIUM WITH THE INAUGURALIRONMAN 70.3 KNOKKE-HEIST TRIATHLON EVENT
KNOKKE-HEIST, Belgium / LONDON, UK / TAMPA, Fla. (September 12, 2022) – IRONMAN has announced the return to Belgium in 2023 with IRONMAN® 70.3® Knokke-Heist, Belgium set to take place on September 17, 2023. The inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist, Belgium will mark the return of the brand to Belgium for the first time since 2012 and will see the evolution of the long-standing Zwintriathlon in Knokke-Heist into a weekend of triathlon festivity on the international stage. Kicking off the weekend’s activities on Saturday, September 16, 2023, will be the 5150® Knokke-Heist, an Olympic distance triathlon perfect for athletes new to the sport or those who love a fast and fun race. On Sunday, triathletes from across Europe will take on the IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist with a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run through Belgium’s West Flanders. Both courses will showcase the beaches and lush green landscapes of the Zwin nature reserve with a finish on Heist beach. “The triathlon culture is closely woven into the DNA of our municipality,” Mayor of Knokke-Heist, Piet De Groote, said. “Knokke-Heist has successfully hosted many short and middle-distance triathlons over the years, as well as fun triathlon events for our younger generation, and so adding an IRONMAN 70.3 event to our calendar feels like the natural next step. We are very much looking forward to putting on a special and memorable event and look forward to welcoming athletes to our wonderful town next September.” Athletes taking on the IRONMAN 70.3 will kick off their swim-bike-run race day with a 1.9km open water swim in the North Sea, on Heist Beach. The water temperature in September is typically cool, but pleasant, and the course is protected by a dike which also aids a calm swim. The one loop bike course will take athletes along the tranquil green countryside and polders of Ramskapelle, Damme, Oostkerke, Hoeke and Sluis. With flat and fast roads, the course has personal best potential. Finally, athletes will take on the 21.1km run while enjoying the beautiful Zeedijk (sea dike) while being cheered on by the residents of Knokke-Heist as they head back to the beach to cross the finish line. “We are so excited to see the return of IRONMAN 70.3 racing in Belgium after a few years’ absence,” said Thomas Veje Olsen, Managing Director of The IRONMAN Group in Europe, Middle East and Africa.“We have had our eyes on Knokke-Heist for a while now, thanks to its growing triathlon culture, coastal appeal, and close international travel links. Belgium has a strong triathlon culture and a proud history of producing multiple IRONMAN champions. Most well-known are former IRONMAN World Champions, Frederik Van Lierde and Luc Van Lierde as well as Marino Vanhoenacker, Bart Aernouts and Tine Deckers who also claimed titles on the European and world stages.”
Knokke-Heist is the greenest municipality on the Belgian coast. More than a quarter of the municipality is made up of recreational parks or untouched forestry – all easily accessible by bicycle. Knokke-Heist boasts diverse culinary delicacies, such as L’étage, and it is known as paradise for food lovers. It has numerous cultural events throughout the year, and a range of first-class shops for the shopping fanatics. Frederik Van Lierde, Belgian professional triathlete and 2013 IRONMAN World Championcommented: “Knokke-Heist, an iconic destination for triathlon in Belgium! A very beautiful setting on the Belgian coast and a course where it is not the elevation that makes the difference, but the wind. I won on a similar course back in 2010 and 2012, and it was the perfect preparation for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i.” IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist will offer qualifying slots to the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN® 70.3® World Championship taking place on December 14 -15, 2024, in Taupo, New Zealand. For more information on IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist, Belgium please visit www.ironman.com/im703-knokke-heist. For more information on 5150 Knokke-Heist, please visit: www.ironman.com/5150-knokke-heist. For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com.