Ironman South Africa said it had concluded a memorandum of intent with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality which will see the continuation of the Standard Bank IRONMAN African Championship in Port Elizabeth for a further three years.
Keith Bowler, director of IRONMAN South Africa, said both parties wanted the best outcome for the athletes and people of Nelson Mandela Bay.
“We are very happy to have reached a common understanding on key issues with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality,” he said.
Bowler said the memorandum of intent lays the foundation for a new three-year host-city agreement to ensure the Standard Bank IRONMAN African Championship returns home to Port Elizabeth.”
The memorandum of intent serves as a precursor to a final, binding agreement and must still be ratified at the next council sitting.
He said that a mechanism has been proposed to further involve SMMEs in the event.
“The plan is for an independently-run incubator overseen by IRONMAN South Africa and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to be established.”
“This purpose of this vehicle will be to transfer eventing skills to small businesses. Our hope is that these entities will go on to become sustainable service providers in their own right,” Bowler said.
Ironman South Africa said that a new agreement, once signed, also guarantees the ongoing support of at least 13 local charities who receive annual proceeds from IRONMAN 4 the Kidz Charity Trust.
