IRONMAN ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF THE
STANDARD BANK IRONMAN® 70.3® DURBAN TRIATHLON
HANAU/PORT ELIZABETH/TAMPA (January 27, 2015) – 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 east 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 New 7 Wonder 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's development in South Africa has been breathtaking and it reflects on the great work our team has done as well as the power of our brand. I am excited to see that more and more international athletes decide to race in South Africa. Likewise our South African athlete base has grown tremendously over the past decade and I am very much looking forward to attending the inaugural Standard Bank IRONMAN African Championship in Port Elizabeth," 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.
Registration for the Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 Durban will open on February 2, 2015 at 2 p.m. CET. More information about the Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 Durban can be found at www.ironman.com/durban70.3. Athlete inquiries may be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com.
About IRONMAN
The iconic IRONMAN® Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the inception of the IRONMAN® brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines at the world's most challenging endurance races. Recognized for excellence through distinguished events, world-class athletes and quality products, IRONMAN has grown from a single race to a global sensation with more than 190 events across five unique brands: IRONMAN®, IRONMAN 70.3®, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl® and IRONKIDS®. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.