January 24, 2024
– World rotation format for Ironman 70.3 World Championship Triathlon places Spain as host for the first time
– More than 6,000 athletes from around the world are expected to participate in the two-day World Championships
Marbella, Spain / Tampa, Florida / London, UK (January 24, 2024) /endurance Sports wire/ – Ironman today announced that Marbella, Spain, has secured the rights to host the 2025 VinFast Ironman.® 70.3® Triathlon World Championship. Marbella will follow in the footsteps of Lahti, Finland, which hosted last year’s tournament, and Taupo, New Zealand, which will host the 2024 edition. Marbella becomes his fourth city in Europe and the first in Spain to host the Ironman 70.3 World Championship (Zel am Seekaprune, Austria in 2015, Nice, France in 2019 and Lahti, Finland in 2023) . The 2025 VinFast Ironman 70.3 World Championship race will continue in the two-day format first adopted in 2017, with women’s pro and age group races on Saturday, November 8th and men’s pro and age group races on Sunday. The race will be held on. , will be held on November 9th, and more than 6,000 athletes are expected to take to the starting line over the two days.
“Marbella, Spain joins an exclusive group of locations around the world that have a proven history of successfully hosting Ironman and/or Ironman 70.3 events, creating an exciting and memorable race week for athletes and their supporters. It provides the perfect backdrop for the experience,” said Andrew Messick. President and CEO of Ironman Group. “Marbella has consistently shown that it can offer a racing experience in a venue worthy of a World Championship event. Steeped in culture and with a reputation as a holiday destination, Marbella is internationally accessible and is undoubtedly a great destination for athletes, It will be a wonderful journey for their families and friends.”
Marbella is visited by many tourists throughout the year and is known as an international destination for sporting events thanks to its diversity, warm climate and excellent tourist activities. The city has numerous sporting facilities, including world-class golf courses, tennis courts, soccer fields, several marinas, and hosts multiple national and international sporting events.
Marbella has been hosting Ironman 70.3 events since 2018 and last year hosted the 2023 Ironman 70.3 European Tri-Club Championships. Many other prominent sporting events are also held in Marbella, including various Davis Cup qualifiers, the World Padel Tour tournament, the Ladies European Tour Golf, the International Rhythmic Gymnastics Grand Prix, the ATP Tennis Tournament and the Marbella CrossFit Championship. Additionally, Marbella is also known for its wide range of water sports, including surfing, kitesurfing, paddle surfing and sailing.
José María Arábal, General Secretary of Sports of the Government of Andalusia, said: “We are really excited that Marbella has been chosen for this important international competition. Hosting the VinFast Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2025 is in line with our mission to bring Andalusia the world’s best sporting event, which simultaneously creates a positive economic impact, international tourism opportunities and the promotion of sport. We agree.”
“Marbella is the perfect destination to host an internationally renowned event like the Ironman 70.3 World Championship Triathlon and was chosen to welcome the world to this premier Ironman 70.3 event. We are very happy about this,” said Marbella Mayor Ángeles Muñoz. “It is a wonderful tourist destination that has become a benchmark for world tourism, without losing any of its typical Andalusian atmosphere and historical essence. Sea and mountains, tradition and modernity meet in this Mediterranean town, where athletes and their We offer our friends and family a colorful environment that is multicultural, cosmopolitan and open to progress, and a way of life based on coexistence and a welcoming nature.The world’s best triathlete in 2025. We look forward to bringing him to Marbella.”
Located on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, Marbella is surrounded by the sea and mountains and is considered one of the most beautiful and attractive places in Spain. This Andalusian city is a great destination for athletes and supporters, thanks to its ideal climate and views of the promenade along the Mediterranean coast. With an average annual temperature of approximately 18.5 °C/65.3 °F and 320 days of sunshine per year, it is an ideal location for sightseeing and sports. The city is 55 miles from Malaga International Airport, making it easy to welcome athletes from all over the world. Find out more about Marbella here.
The VinFast Ironman 70.3 World Championship Triathlon is the culmination of more than 120 global Ironman 70.3 qualifying events, with approximately 200,000 registered athletes competing for coveted age-group spots each year. Following the successful conclusion of the 2023 VinFast Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Lahti, Finland, the event will move to Taupo, New Zealand on December 14-15, 2024.
The Ironman 70.3 World Championship was first held in Clearwater, Florida in 2006 and has since traveled to incredible destinations around the world, including Henderson, Nevada (2011-13). Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada (2014). Zell am See Kaprun, Salzburgerland, Austria (2015). Queensland, Australia (2016). Chattanooga, Tennessee (2017). Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa (2018). Nice, France (2019); St. George, Utah (2021-2022); and Lahti, Finland (2023).
For the future
2024 – Taupo, New Zealand – 14-15 December 2024
The Great Lake Taupo region is rich in history and is one of the most unique and beautiful regions in the world. Located in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, it has a fascinating volcanic landscape and a cultural heritage dating back to the arrival of the Maori people to New Zealand in the 14th century. The Great Lake Taupo District is one of the purest, most beautiful and unspoiled regions in the country and includes the lakeside towns of Taupo, Turangi, Kinloch and Mangakino. Popular year-round destinations include Australia’s largest freshwater crater lake, geothermal attractions, and the mountains and ski slopes of Tongariro National Park, a dual World Heritage Site. Taupo has hosted Ironman New Zealand since 1999, making it one of Ironman’s most iconic events. The race features a swim in one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes, a bike course that takes you through New Zealand’s famous countryside, and a scenic run course alongside the lake that’s filled with spectators and local supporters. For more information, please visit www.ironman.com/im703-world-championship-2024.
| Ironman 70.3 World Championship Schedule | ||
| Year | position | date |
| 2024 | Taupo, New Zealand | December 14-15, 2024 |
| 2025 | marbella, spain | November 8-9, 2025 |
For more information about the Ironman 70.3 World Championship Triathlon, visit www.ironman.com/im703-world-championship. For more information about IRONMAN and his IRONMAN 70.3 series of events, please visit www.ironman.com.
For media inquiries, please email press@ironman.com.
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About the Ironman 70.3 World Championship
The first Ironman was born in 2006.® 70.3® The World Triathlon Championships were held in Clearwater, Florida, setting a new test for the world’s elite triathletes. Since this auspicious start, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship Triathlon first moved to Henderson, Nevada in 2011, where athletes encountered more difficult terrain, then moved to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, where a new… It has become well-known and popular as the first destination for the World Championships. Ironman 70.3 World Championship Race “Rotation”. The event landed on European soil for the first time in his 2015, with a spectacular and memorable event held in Zell am See, Austria. In 2016, the race location changed from the mountains to the beaches of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. In 2017, the race returned to the United States and was held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, making it a two-day event for the first time. In 2018, the event reached the African continent for the first time and was held in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. Continuing the rotation, 2019 saw the ever-growing Ironman 70.3 World Championship events held in the French Riviera and Nice. After a year without events due to the global pandemic, racing resumed in St. George, Utah in 2021 with more than 3,500 athletes participating. The event will once again be held in St. George, Utah, returning to a two-day format on October 28th and 29th, 2022. After a successful two-day event in Lahti, Finland, the race will move to Taupo, New Zealand on December 14th. 15th, 2024. The event will be held in Spain for the first time in 2025, with Marbella winning the hosting rights. Historically, more than 200,000 athletes have participated each year in a series of qualifying races consisting of more than 100 global events. Participants in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship Triathlon, which attracts more than 5,000 athletes from around the world, range in age from 18 years old to over 85 years old. For more information, please visit www.ironman.com/im703-world-championship.
About Ironman Group
Ironman Group operates a worldwide portfolio of events, including Ironman.® triathlon series, ironman® 70.3®Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Rock and Roll®Running series, Iron Kids® the World Triathlon Championship Series, and premier running events such as the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and City2Surf.®,UTMB® World Series trail running events including Canyons Endurance Runs™ by UTMB®Tarawera Ultra by UTMB®and Ultra-Trail Australia™ by UTMB®Epic Series™ mountain bike races including Absa Cape Epic® road cycling events including auto routes®, and other multisport races. Ironman Group is the world’s largest mass participation sports operator, delivering the benefits of endurance sports to more than 1 million participants annually through its vast array of services.To cater to the complete athlete experience, the company’s portfolio also includes his FulGaz®Virtual Cycling is a fitness application that leads to the most realistic indoor riding experience, aimed at preparing athletes for real-world events.Since the birth of the iconic Iron Man®At the brand’s first event in 1978, athletes proved anything was possible®By crossing the finish line all over the world. His IRONMAN group, which started as a single race, has grown into a global sensation hosting hundreds of events in over 55 countries. IRONMAN Group is owned by Advance, a privately held family-owned company, and Orkila Capital, a growth limited company focused on building great brands. For more information, please visit www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.
About Advanced
Advance is a privately owned, family-owned company that owns and invests in companies across media, entertainment, technology, communications, education and other promising growth sectors. Our mission is to build long-term company value by driving growth and innovation. Advance’s portfolio includes Condé Nast, Advance Local, Stage Entertainment, The IRONMAN Group, American City Business Journals, Leaders Group, Turnitin and Pop. Together, these operating companies employ more than 17,000 people in 29 countries. Advance is also the largest shareholder in Charter Communications, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Reddit. For more information, please visit www.advance.com.