2014 IRONMAN 70.3
The Ironman 70.3 returns to Geelong’s beautiful waterfront on the 9th of February 2014 in what promises to be one of our summer’s most exciting sporting events featuring some of the world’s best endurance athletes.
Last held in Geelong in 2010 the event is part of a global series of ironman events that take in virtually the entire world and is slotted between events in Buffalo City in South Africa and Panama in South America.
The Ironman is part of Geelong’s Multi Sport Festival that brings a series of tremendous sporting events to our city over the whole weekend of the 7th to 9th of February.
The Ironman 70.3 event will see competitors swim for 1.9km along a triangle course on Corio Bay out from Richie Boulevard. They will take on a 90 kilometre two loop bike race taking in Western Beach then following the waterfront to Portarlington Road then taking in the Point Henry peninsula before heading back onto Portarlington road to Curlewis and returning. There will be plenty of spectacular vantage points for spectators including the entire length of our waterfront and along Eastern Park. After the cycle then it’s time for a 21.1 kilometre run, this run does two laps of Eastern Park followed by a lap of Eastern and Western Beach overlooking Corio Bay finishing in Steampacket Gardens which will also be hosting an event village.
The 2010 event saw Craig Alexander take out the men’s event in an astonishing 3 hours and 53 seconds, and Caroline Steffen from Switzerland take out the women’s event in 4 hours and 14 minutes in field of some 1500 athletes. This year the event will be used as a preparation by many competitors for the Ironman Asia-Pacific Championships that will be held in Melbourne later in March this year with 50 places on offer. This race also offers 30 qualifying slots for competitors to compete in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships being held in Mont Tremblant, Quebec Canada and also offers $25,000 US in prize money.
