Sunshine Coast to host 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship

Ironman has announced that the 70.3 World Championship will take place in the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia in 2016. This will be the first ever Ironman World Championship held in the southern hemisphere. The announcement is the result of a partnership between the Queensland Government, Sunshine Coast Council and Ironman.

In May 2013, Ironman brand owner World Triathlon Corp (WTC) confirmed that, starting in 2014, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship will rotate globally annually. This year the event will take place in Mont-Tremblant on September 7.  The 2015 race is set for Zell am See-Kaprun, Salzburger, Austria on August 30, 2015.

The Sunshine Coast and Queensland region is regarded as one of the world’s leading triathlon centres, with the hosting of the annual Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast, the iconic Mooloolaba and Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festivals and prior hosting of International Triathlon Union (ITU) series and championship events.

The South East Queensland region plays home to current Ironman 70.3 World Champion Melissa Hauschildt, Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Champion and Olympic gold medallist Jan Frodeno, 2012 Ironman World Champion Pete Jacobs and Ironman World Champion medallist Caroline Steffen, among others.

“We are delighted to bring the Ironman 70.3 World Championship to Australia,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of Ironman. “Asia Pacific is a rapidly expanding region for our sport, particularly the Sunshine Coast and Queensland, both [of which are] hugely popular strongholds for the Ironman brand.”

Messick added “The region has a significant history in the sport of triathlon and is a popular destination that we know will deliver a world class event while providing genuine warmth of hospitality.”

The World Championship event expects to attract 3,000 athletes from over 70 global qualifying events in locations such as Australia, Japan, Spain, England, South Africa and the Americas. The Championship is part of a week-long festival which will include the Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast race and a range of lifestyle events for the community and visitors to enjoy.

“We are excited to welcome triathletes from throughout our region and around the world for what we are confident will be a superb experience,” said Ironman Asia Pacific CEO, Geoff Meyer. “The Sunshine Coast will be a magnificent setting – whether it is your goal to qualify for the World Championship or be a participant at the Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast triathlon, it will be a race week triathletes won’t want to miss.”

 

For more info visit: www.ironman.com