On Sunday September 4 Galway will host the first Ironman 70.3 event to take place in Ireland. This inaugural race, scheduled to finish in Eyre Square, will allocate 35 qualifying slots for the Foster Grant Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Florida.
The gruelling challenge will commence in Salthill with a 1.9 kilometre swim in the waters of Galway Bay. The athletes will take on the daunting 90 kilometre bike course, leading them through the beautiful countryside taking in views of Conamara and the Burren along the way. Finally, during a 21.1 kilometres run through downtown Galway with its many pedestrianised streets, athletes pass a number of Galway’s iconic landmarks, finishing in Eyre Square.
The event presents a wonderful opportunity for Galway and its scenic hinterland to be seen around the world. Ironman events are broadcast into hundreds of millions of homes in every continent on the globe. E & R Events is the local partner of the race in Galway and the company’s Eoin McCormack is excited at the prospect:
"I believe that the Ironman 70.3 in Galway on the west coast of Ireland offers Ironman athletes a truly unique challenge in a location that is unrivalled anywhere in the world. Galway is famous for its friendly atmosphere and stunningly beautiful landscape, all of which should add up to a thoroughly wonderful experience for competitors from all around the world.”
Kai Walter, managing director of Ironman’s European headquarters, is also pleased with the location of the first event in Ireland: “Galway offers ideal conditions for an Ironman 70.3 event. The race course is beautiful and has all the qualifications of establishing itself as a highlight in the race calendar for triathletes worldwide.”
Registration is open, and for more information about the race, visit www.ironmanireland.com
