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2011 Ironman World Championship Re-Broadcast

Ironman 70.3 Auckland is added to the race calendar.

2011 Ironman World Championship Re-Broadcast

The 2011 Ironman World Championship TV Broadcast will be shown again on NBC tomorrow (Sunday) from 1:30 to 3 PM EST (Check your local listings). Watch all over again the victories of Craig Alexander and Chrissie Wellington.

Auckland joins global Ironman 70.3 series

IRONMAN 70.3 Auckland will be designated as the official Asia Pacific Championship, one of four continental championships in the world. This provides an additional opportunity for athletes to qualify for the annual IRONMAN World Championship 70.3 in Las Vegas.

The race on Sunday January 20, 2013 will showcase iconic Auckland landscapes with a swim in the Viaduct Harbour, a bike course that includes the Auckland Harbour Bridge and a run along Auckland’s scenic waterfront.

The race village and transition is set on Auckland’s revamped Viaduct Harbour and is within easy walking distance from many inner city accommodation providers.

IRONMAN 70.3 Auckland is expected to attract more than 1,200 professional and age group participants annually including a significant number of international athletes. The event will offer a professional prize purse of $75,000 USD, 1500 professional points for the elite field and 45 age group qualifying slots for the IRONMAN World Championship 70.3.

“New Zealand and Auckland hold a special place in the history of IRONMAN and the sport of triathlon,” said Andrew Messick, CEO of World Triathlon Corporation.  “When the IRONMAN team began to expand the event series globally, Auckland was chosen as the first international venue. ”

A mainstay in the IRONMAN Series, IRONMAN New Zealand was staged in Auckland for 14 years before moving to Taupo in 1999.  The race has attracted over 22,000 participants, more than half from overseas.

“Over the years, New Zealand has embraced the sport of triathlon with an unmatched enthusiasm while producing incredible talent. It’s fitting to bring a major championship to New Zealand and to the magnificent city of Auckland,” Messick said.

IRONMAN legend Cameron Brown believes the new event will be a boom for the sport and for his city.

“Much of my passion for the sport came from those days as a kid watching IRONMAN from along the Auckland waterfront,” said Brown, 10-time IRONMAN New Zealand Champion. “To now have the opportunity to race in an IRONMAN 70.3 event in my home town, and a major championship at that, is going to be very special.  I can only hope a whole new generation of young kiwis get the same buzz from IRONMAN 70.3 Auckland and take up the sport.  The IRONMAN 70.3 races are booming around the world for both professionals like myself as well as keen amateurs. I am a proud Aucklander and this is a chance to show our city off to the world.”

For those familiar to Auckland, the event will be based at the Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland. The course comprises a 1.9km one-lap swim in the Viaduct Harbour, a 90km bike course over the Harbour Bridge followed by a two-lap city section to St Heliers, and a 21.1km two-lap run along the Auckland waterfront. The finish line will be in the heart of Wynyard Quarter with the stunning city skyline as a backdrop.

Visit www.ironmanauckland.com to register and learn more about the event.  Entries for the inaugural event open on Tuesday July 24.