IRONMAN, a Wanda Sports Holdings company, together with Triathlon Middle East have announced the launch of IRONMAN® 70.3® Oman. Supported by the Ministry of Tourism (MoT), the iconic triathlon competition will be held in the capital city of Muscat on March 1, 2019.
Just as triathlon celebrates the fusion of swim, bike and run, the Sultanate of Oman fuses Middle Eastern culture with modernistic, western lifestyles, creating a perfect destination for IRONMAN 70.3 Oman. Muscat will also host its first ever 5i50™ triathlon this year, on November 18. The 1.5km (.93-miles) swim, 40km (24.8-mile) and 10k (6.21-mile) run is perfect preparation for athletes and beginners in the lead-up to the IRONMAN 70.3 event in 2019.
“It is with great pride that we announce the launch of IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon race in Oman,” said MoT Consultant of Tourism Affairs, Sayed Adil Al Busaidi. “It is our mission to make the Sultanate an obvious choice for international sports, as we believe the country has a lot to offer with enthralling beauty. Perfect weather awaits athletes as the warm desert heat is at bay during the cool season, leaving idyllic racing conditions that will entice both new and experienced triathletes. The country is well suited for holding events such as swimming, cycling, and running competitions.”
“We are excited to be in Oman and expanding the reach of the IRONMAN 70.3 and 5i50 brands within the Middle East, providing more opportunities for athletes to embrace the challenge and the fun of triathlon.” said IRONMAN Europe, Middle East and Africa Managing Director, Stefan Petschnig.
In IRONMAN 70.3 Oman will see athletes pass beautiful views of the port city as they complete a 1.9km (1.2-mile) swim, 90.1km (56-mile) bike ride and 21.1km (13.1-mile) run during the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 event. The Arabian seas provide for a non-wetsuit swim, which will be held in the calm, clear waters beside the desirable suburb of Al Shatti in downtown Muscat.
Al Shatti is also the location of bike transition. Athletes will take on a bike route that likens a travel tour, passing all major monuments of Muscat including the Royal Opera House, Muttrah Gate and Cornish, the Al Bustan Palace and the enticingly fast Wadi Al Kabir Road. Speed-lovers are in for a treat with a cruise down the flat 18 November Street. The single transition in Al Shatti provides convenience for athletes and a hot spot for spectators who will line the four-lap run course encircling the Royal Opera House and Intercontinental Hotel complex.
“We are more than honored to host athletes from around the world to our beloved nation,” said Mohamed Al Obaidani, Race Director and Chief Executive Officer of Triathlon Middle East. “Triathlon is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic sports in the world, therefore, we want to bring the culture of triathlons and healthy lifestyle to Oman, aiming to make our nation prominent in this area.”
As supreme tests of physical and mental toughness, these races require both courage and determination, in addition to physical preparation. But the rewards are great: all finishers gain the sense of personal accomplishment, and for the fastest age groupers, IRONMAN 70.3 Oman will offer 30 qualifying slots for the 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Nice, France.
General registration is now open at www.ironman.com/oman70.3 and www.ironman.com/5150oman. Athlete inquiries may be directed to oman70.3@ironman.com.
For accommodation and travel services, visit omantourism.gov.om
For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com.
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, the Rock n’ Roll Marathon Series®, Iron Girl®, IRONKIDS®, International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series races, road cycling events including the UCI Velothon® Series, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, premier marathons including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, and other multisport races. IRONMAN’s events, together with all other Wanda Sports Holdings events, provide more than a million 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 230 events across 53 countries. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.
About Wanda Sports Holdings: Wanda Sports Holdings 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. The headquarters are in Guangzhou, China.
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