Nelson Mandela Bay has been selected to host the 2018 Ironman 70.3 World Championships beating off the cities of Nice in France and Budapest in Hungary for the honour.
The announcement was made in Hawaii Thursday night by Ironman CEO, Andrew Messick.
“We are delighted to bring the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship to Nelson Mandela Bay,†said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of IRONMAN. “Tens of thousands athletes have enjoyed racing in our events in South Africa over the past 12 years and we are excited to welcome some of the world’s most elite triathletes to the African continent.â€
The IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship event expects to attract more than 6,000 athletes from over 100 global qualifying events in locations such as Australia, China, Spain, South Africa and the Americas.
"Nelson Mandela Bay is delighted to have been chosen to host the 2018 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship. We are proud of our excellent track record in hosting the IRONMAN African Championship - it's on the strength of this, our climate, our beautiful beaches and our tourism potential that we are now in a position to host this prestigious international event. We look forward to welcoming the world's athletes to the Bay,†said Athol Trollip, Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor.
The Championship is part of a week-long festival which will include a range of lifestyle events for the community and visitors to enjoy.
“We are excited to welcome triathletes from throughout our region and around the world and show them true South African hospitality. For more than a decade IRONMAN has had the privilege of working with Nelson Mandela Bay and the city of Port Elizabeth to put up world-class events,†said Hans Peter Zurbruegg, Managing Director of IRONMAN Europe, Middle East and Africa.
The 2018 IRONMAN® 70.3® World Championship will take place in Nelson Mandela Bay on 1st and 2nd September, 2018 and will be the first time that an IRONMAN World Championship event will be held on the African continent.
