Ports of Auckland to Sponsor Ironman 70.3 New Zealand Event

The Ports of Auckland has been confirmed as a major sponsor for the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Auckland event, bronchi which takes place on Sunday 20 January 2013.

The race will be based on Auckland’s waterfront, erectile with a 1.9K swim from the Maritime Museum to the Viaduct Harbour, 90K cycle (including a traverse of the Auckland Harbour Bridge) and two-lap 21.1K run along the waterfront.

The Ports of Auckland welcomes the new event to the city, and particularly for the waterfront, as a valuable boost to both domestic and international visitor numbers.

“The Ports of Auckland strongly believes we have a role to play in supporting events that will help bring new money and visitors to our city and particularly to our waterfront, which we share with the community,” said Ports of Auckland CEO, Tony Gibson.

“We also understand the importance of health and fitness both in the community and with our own staff and contractors, many of whom are shift workers. We support the need for health and fitness among our staff and are offering staff the opportunity to enter teams into this event.

“The event sits alongside our naming rights sponsorship of the Round the Bays fun run, which we have recently renewed for a further three year term.”

Unveiled last July, as part of Ironman brand owner World Triathlon Corp’s (WTC’s) international expansion plans, Ironman 70.3 Auckland 2013 has been designated as the official Asia Pacific Championship.

The event provides an additional opportunity for athletes in the Asia Pacific region to qualify for the annual Ironman 70.3 World Championship at Las Vegas, USA. Entries for the inaugural IM 70.3 Auckland event opened on Tuesday 24 July.

Ironman 70.3 Auckland brings the Ironman series full circle back to Auckland. The city was the first international race venue chosen when the Ironman brand began its global growth in the mid-80’s. Today the Ironman brand continues to grow with more than 30 Ironman and 60 Ironman 70.3 races around the world each year; over 150,000 participants annually.

A mainstay in the Ironman series, Ironman New Zealand was staged in Auckland for 14 years, based at Mission Bay and then St Heliers, before moving to Taupo in 1999. The full distance race has attracted more than 22,000 participants, more than half from overseas.

Ironman 70.3 Auckland is expected to attract more than 1,200 professional and age group participants annually including a significant number of international athletes. The event will offer a professional prize purse of US$75,000, 1,500 professional points for the elite field and 45 age group qualifying slots for the Ironman World Championship 70.3.