IRONMAN is pleased to announce the addition of South Africa’s second IRONMAN® 70.3® race, the Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 Durban triathlon. The inaugural race will be held on August 2, 2015.
Durban, located on South Africa’s west coast in the KwaZulu-Natal province, is known for its warm, subtropical climate and world-famous surfing beaches with a unique cultural and urban diversity. Durban was recently named one of the New7Wonder Cities of the World, recognized for cultural, historical, environmental, economic and tourism strengths and/or potential.
Consisting of a 1.9-km swim, a 90.1-km bike and a 21.1-km run, the Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 Durban course will be set along Durban’s Golden Mile with sun-kissed beaches, allowing athletes to cycle and run past the iconic Moses Mabhida stadium which was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“We are very excited to announce IRONMAN 70.3 Durban. The popularity of triathlon in South Africa is on the rise – and athletes have long awaited the introduction of an additional race in the region. Durban is a great location that is also one of the original South African triathlon hotbeds, with the South African pioneers of the sport thriving in the 1980s.”
“We are therefore delighted to offer the IRONMAN 70.3 experience to the people of Durban and to welcome our international athletes to the east coast city,” said Keith Bowler, Managing Director for IRONMAN South Africa.
“IRONMAN has paved the way for long-distance triathlon in South Africa. The development of our races has been breathtaking and it reflects on the great work of our team as well as the power of our brand. We are excited to see that more and more international athletes choose to race in South Africa and that our South African athlete base has grown tremendously over the past decade.”
“Today’s announcement of the Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 Durban is another big step to provide many more athletes with an opportunity to experience the atmosphere and quality only an IRONMAN can offer,” said Thomas Dieckhoff, CEO IRONMAN Europe, Middle East and Africa.
The 2015 Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 Durban will have 30 qualifying slots to the 2016 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship taking place in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. Professional athletes will compete at Durban for a total prize purse of $50,000 USD.
For more information, visit the Ironman website.
