Hamburg solidifies itself as top triathlon destination with addition of Ironman Hamburg

Earlier this year we wrote about a rumoured new Ironman event in Hamburg, and today the M-dot brand officially announced today the addition of Hamburg, Germany to its full-distance event schedule for 2017. While Hamburg has been the host of the largest ITU World Triathlon event on the circuit for years but now expands as a top triathlon race destination by hosting the inaugural Ironman Hamburg triathlon on August 13, 2017.

The provisional course of Ironman Hamburg includes the Jungfernstieg pier in the very heart of the city as the start point of the 3.8 km swim course, which goes through the Binnen and Außenalster lakes. The two-loop 180.2 km bike course leads athletes through Harbour City and across the famous “Köhlbrandbrücke” bridge and the southern metropolitan area of Hamburg. The final 42.2 km run course consists of four loops along the Alter Lake in the city center. The Town Hall market square will feature great spectator support as the home of the iconic finish line.

“We are very pleased to host another world-class endurance sports event in Hamburg,” said Hamburg’s Sports Senator Andy Grote. “Ironman Hamburg will complement the other event offerings and is a terrific addition to our calendar. Ironman suits Hamburg and Hamburg suits Ironman.”

Numerous parks, meadows and forests make Hamburg one of Europe’s greenest major cities. These vast public green spaces combined with Hamburg’s urban architecture creates a very attractive metropolis with a high quality of life.

Christian Toetzke, Chief Development Officer for Ironman and Managing Director for Ironman Germany, added: “Hamburg has established itself with its sports enthusiasm over three decades as an important location with high demand for endurance sports events, especially triathlon. It was strategically important to place another top event in this area.”
“We will use the upcoming months to turn the preliminary course into an attractive event for all parties involved: our athletes, their families and fans, as well as the citizens of Hamburg,” adds Björn Steinmetz, Managing Director of Ironman Germany, responsible for the operational implementation of the event.

Swimming in the Alster lake, cycling through the Harbour City and running along the green shore of the Alster lake with a finish at the famous town hall market – the city of Hamburg will offer a unique and unforgettable race experience for all athletes.

As one of the big urban triathlon cities, Hamburg is poised to welcome 2.500 athletes and thousands of spectators on August 13, 2017 for another high-class triathlon event.

Ironman Hamburg will offer 40 qualifying slots to the 2017 Ironman World Championship in Kona.

General registration for Ironman Hamburg will open on September 23, 2016 at: www.ironman.com/hamburg. Athlete inquiries may be directed to hamburg@ironman.com. For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com. Media related inquiries may be directed to stefan.jaeger@ironman.com.