Ironman announced yesterday the expansion of its iconic triathlon series into the Middle East for the first time, with a new Ironman 70.3 race in Bahrain.
The kingdom’s race will be held on December 5 later this year. It will be a part of the Ironman Middle East Series, which also includes the Ironman 70.3 Dubai triathlon in early 2016.
“Triathlon is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and there has been an increasing number of athletes from the Middle East racing on the Ironman European tour consistently for the past few years,” said Ironman Europe, Middle East and Africa CEO Thomas Dieckhoff.
“With a strong athlete base established, we are entering the Middle East with partners that are committed to delivering world-class events that elevate our sport in the Gulf region. We are extremely happy to have found great partners in Bahrain and Dubai.”
“We are delighted to be able to establish Ironman 70.3 races in the Gulf region that is an emerging hotbed for triathlon,” said Ironman Chief Executive Officer Andrew Messick.
“Besides having passionate triathletes, Bahrain and Dubai have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to host great events. We are looking forward to working with our partners to create some of the greatest races in the world – with the hope of expanding in this region.”
The Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championship in Bahrain will be a unique point-to-point triathlon which passes some of the kingdom’s most significant attractions, old and new. Highlights include Al Fateh Grand Mosque, Gudaibiya Historic Palace and Bahrain Bay.
As a special feature of the bike course athletes will get a taste of Formula 1 racing as the last five kilometres of the bike course will be completed on the race track of Bahrain International Circuit.
Bahrain has hosted triathlon events before and has considerable experience in regard to the needs and challenges of complex mass-participation events.
Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championship Bahrain will offer 40 age-group qualification slots for the 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Sunshine Coast, Australia.
His Majesty the King’s Representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Chairman and President of Bahrain Olympic Committee President Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa asserted that the announcement of Ironman Bahrain next December proves the country’s ability to host international sports events, thanks to the endless support of His Majesty King Hamad.
Shaikh Nasser said Bahrain has become a centre for endurance and triathlon sports in the region, adding that the international race will be an opportunity to highlight Bahrain’s gains and achievements in the era of His Majesty’s rule, including the kingdom’s 2030 vision.
The race will be held at the same time of the kingdom’s celebrations of the national day and the anniversary of His Majesty the King’s accession to the throne in mid-December.
Shaikh Nasser said the country benefited from the experience of hosting Challenge Bahrain last year, stressing on the importance of avoiding the negative events that occurred in the past experiment and assuring that the organising committee’s responsibility of ensuring that the race would not harm public interests.
On his part, Bahrain Triathlon Association President Shaikh Saqr bin Salman Al Khalifa said Ironman’s trust in Bahrain proves the improvement achieved by Bahraini sports among the other countries in the Middle East.
Shaikh Saqr affirmed that preparations are ongoing to host the event, which will see the participation of a large number of international athletes.
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