IRONMAN officially confirmed the addition of the IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo triathlon, which will be owned and operated by Pro-Am Serendib (Pvt) Ltd, at a media briefing held at the Sports Ministry today(21).
The tag “70.3” is the total number of miles covered during the event by the athletes while the full edition would cover twice the distance as this event and is called IRONMAN 140.6. The inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo edition of the race will take place on the 25th of February 2018 and is set to be the largest multi-sport event to be held in Sri Lanka.
“We are excited about this announcement as we are expanding our portfolio of races – especially in South Asia where the number of IRONMAN athletes is growing every year,” said Geoff Meyer, Managing Director for IRONMAN Asia.
He further added that “We have been looking for the right partner in South Asia and we look forward to working with Pro-Am Serendib to organize a great race in Colombo.”
The event will take place in the heart of Sri Lanka’s capital city, beginning at the renowned Galle Face Green with a one-loop 1.9km swim through the warm and clear waters of the Indian Ocean. The athletes will then progress to a well-paved, flat and fast three-loop 90km bike course that will travel through Colombo’s city centre and past the Old Parliament Building and the Port of Colombo, a historical harbour that stood as the centre of ancient trading routes.
The athletes will then run 21.1km along the coastline with the unique opportunity to run on the historic Harbour Breakwater enjoying views of the Indian Ocean before returning back to Galle Face Green.
February is seen as an ideal time of year to host the race – with warm tropical weather conditions reaching 80°F (27°C). Athletes from all around the world will be ‘greeted by hospitable locals cheering them along the race course’.
“This announcement is the result of months of planning. I have been working closely with my team and IRONMAN in order to organize this new race within the highest global standards of IRONMAN. Athletes can expect an exceptional race experience as we deliver a world-class event in Colombo come February 2018”, said Rajan Thananayagam, General Manager of Pro-Am Serendib.
The 2018 IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo will be an age-group only race offering 30 qualifying slots for the 2018 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. On top of the individual category, IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo will offer a relay team option, providing an opportunity for first timers to join the IRONMAN 70.3 race.
In addition to this, another prestige event, IRONKIDS, will be held on the 24th of February 2018 at the same venue to encourage children between the age of 7-13 to participate and earn the title of IRONKIDS.
 Ltd, at a media briefing held at the Sports Ministry today(21).){kind=link}