Ironman Wales (Photo : Getty Images)
One of the first events which the soon-to-open Hefei Wanda City would host is Ironman 70.3. The Dalian Wanda-owned tourism complex has a theme park, hotel and shopping mall and is the event’s main sponsor.
The event, scheduled on Oct. 16, expects around 1,500 athletes who would participate in a 12-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run. The total distance of the entire competition covers 70.3 miles which is why it is called Ironman 70.3, explained Global Times.
Of the 1,500 athletes who have registered as of Sept. 8, about one-third, or 542, are from overseas. The one in the capital city of Anhui Province is not the only Ironman competition being held in China. One Nov. 13, Xiamen in Fujian Province would hold its own Ironman competition.
Stefan Petschnig, managing director of Ironman China, said they chose Hefei as the first host city for the international competition because of the city’s well-developed infrastructure and captivating natural scenery. He also cited the local government’s support for the race and global vision.
“We hope to enable more triathlon lovers in China to experience the uniqueness of Ironman and inspire a wider range of people with ‘Ironman spirit’ to challenge themselves,” Petschnig said.
Ironman 70.3 is also known as Half Ironman. The Hefei competition, to bring in more triathletes, will offer 50 qualifying positions for the 2017 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, reported China.org.
