E’ ufficiale, sarà Nizza a ospitare l’Ironman® 70.3® World Championship 2019! L’evento si disputerà su due giorni, sabato 7 e domenica 8 settembre e sarà il primo Mondiale Ironman a disputarsi sul suolo francese.
Ironman ha inoltre annunciato che il 16 settembre 2018 ci sarà una “anticipazione” della prova iridata, una tappa dell’Ironman 70.3 European Tour proprio a Nizza che darà slot di qualifica per l’evento mondiale della stagione successiva.
Ironman 70.3 Nice sarà poi in calendario ufficialmente a partire dalla stagione 2020 come tappa del circuito del Vecchio Continente.
Nizza ha ospitato per la prima volta una prova Ironman nel 2005 e ha visto grandi campioni solcare la sua mitica Promenade des Anglais, tra cui anche le nostre ironwoman Edith Niederfriniger e Martina Dogana che proprio in Costa Azzurra hanno trionfato.
Dal 2014 il Campionato del Mondo di Ironman 70.3 è diventato itinerante e, dopo le prove di Chattanooga, in Tennessee (USA) del 9 e 10 settembre 2017 e quelle dell’1 e 2 settembre 2018 in Sudafrica, Nelson Mandela Bay, nel 2019 si tornerà dunque in Europa che, ricordiamolo, era già stata sede nel 2015, a Zell am See (Austria) dell’evento iridato.
Sono attesi per l’Ironman 70.3 World Championship Nice più di 5.000 triatleti provenienti da oltre 100 gare di qualificazione dislocate in tutto il mondo.
«The successful growth of the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship since its global rotation began in 2014 can be attributed in large part to Diana Bertsch, the world championship team she established, the host cities, and the collective determination to create an event that captures the hearts and minds of our athletes. With the origins of the popular Nice triathlon which set the stage in the region, this is the next evolution of this extraordinary event and brings Europe back to the forefront, with a history of culture, sport and scenery that is the perfect mix for IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship athletes.»
– Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer for IRONMAN
«It is with great pride that our city will host this international competition for the first time in France, with a sport that is particularly well established in Nice. Since 1982, our city has organized world-renowned triathlon events, held in an exceptional setting with a truly unique course. This will undoubtedly be a momentous occasion for all triathlon enthusiasts and I welcome everyone to enjoy the beauty of our city. Nice is now recognized as a great host city for major events of international recognition. This dedication to staging events is an essential asset for the development of economic activity. Each year, IRONMAN brings € 4 million in economic revenue, and I am convinced that this new event will once again strengthen our attractiveness as a host city and boost our local economy.»
– Christian Estrosi, President Region Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur
«With IRONMAN France, our French team lead by Yves Cordier has created one of the best IRONMAN events in the world, as voted by athletes in the IRONMAN Athletes’ Choice Awards. It is only fitting that the 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship has been awarded to Nice and the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region. Both the city and region offer easy access, a stunning backdrop for the event, and exceptional tourism destination for friends and family. We look forward to welcoming athletes from all over the world to this amazing location.»
– Hans-Peter Zurbrügg, Managing Director for IRONMAN Europe, Middle East and Africa
«Ever since competing as a professional athlete in the 1989 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, it has been my dream to bring a world championship event to the city and region I call home; that dream is now becoming a reality. I would like to extend my gratitude to the City of Nice and the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur for their loyalty and trust in our team. We are ready to welcome the world to Nice!»
– Yves Cordier, Managing Director, IRONMAN France
For more information about the event, please visit the official page.
Anything is possible.
About IRONMAN
A Wanda Sports Holdings company, IRONMAN operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl®, IRONKIDS®, six of nine International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series races, road cycling events including the UCI Velothon Majors Series, mountain bike races, premier marathons and other multisport races. IRONMAN’s events, together with all other Wanda Sports Holdings events, provide more than 680,000 participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. 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. Beginning as a single race, IRONMAN has grown to become a global sensation with more than 260 events across 42 countries. For more information, visit eu.ironman.com
IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship
In 2006 the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship was held in Clearwater, Florida becoming another test for the world’s elite triathletes. Since that auspicious beginning, the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship has grown in stature and popularity moving first to Henderson, Nevada in 2011, where athletes encountered a more challenging terrain and then to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec—its first stop on the new “global rotation” for the championship. The event reached European soil for the first time ever in 2015, with Zell am See, Austria, hosting an epic and memorable event. In 2016, the race moved from the mountains to the beaches of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. More than 130,000 athletes participated in a season of qualifying races for the championship, a series which consists of over 85 events in locations such as Australia, Germany, South Africa and Switzerland. Approximately 3,000 registered athletes from around the world took part in this prestigious race. Participants in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship ranged in age from 19 to 75-plus, and represented over 80 countries. This year, the event will return to the United States, taking place in Chattanooga, Tennessee and will become a two-day race for the first time. In 2018, the event reaches the African continent for the first time and will be hosted in Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa.
About Wanda Sports Holding
Wanda Sports Holding is the world’s leading sports business entity, founded to capture the opportunities in the global sports industry and to contribute to the prosperous international sports landscape – in three key areas: 1) Spectator Sports (media & marketing business), 2) Participation Sports (active lifestyle business), 3) Services (digital, production and service business). Wanda Sports Holding incorporates the international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media, the iconic endurance brand IRONMAN, and Wanda Sports China.
