Ironman 70.3 Thailand triathlon race to kick off in Phuket on Nov 27

The gruelling three-sport race will kick off at 6.20am with a 1.9km rectangular swim that will start and end at Xana Beach Club Laguna Phuket, followed by a 90km bike full of variety that will lead participating triathletes to the Laguna Phuket property, the Phuket Highway, the Sarasin Bridge, the first bridge built that linked Phuket Island to the mainland of Phang Nga Province and was then transformed into a tourist attraction. The competitors will then return to the Xana Beach Club Laguna Phuket and finally contest a two-loop scenic 21km run that will start and end at the Xana Beach Club Laguna Phuket. 

After the Ironman 70.3 Laguna Phuket was held here in 2012, the Ironman 70.3 marks it return to Thailand with a bigger, more explosive staging featuring a crack, international field including 20 professionals, all raring to slug it out for top honours in the premier swim-bike-run event.

The Thailand race will offer a US$15,000 professional prize purse and 30 qualifying age group slots for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA on September 9, 2017 aside from offering a team relay a great opportunity for first timers to get a taste for an Ironman race.

To make all professionals and participating triathletes understand the race courses, preparation  and further information they should learn ahead of the Sunday’s race and for media updates, the meet-the-pros briefing, the media briefing and the press conference took place at Angsana Laguna Resort Hotel on Friday, with Phuket Governor Chokchai Detamornthan presiding in the meeting attended by renowned professional triathletes and a huge crowd of medias.

Also attending as guests of honour at the Friday’s press conference were Mr Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, founder of Sunrise Events, Inc, a Philippine-based company noted for its world-class production and organisation of three Ironman 70.3 events in the region including the Ironman 70.3 in Cebu, tagged as the “Crown Jewel of Asia”, and Mr Marco Bertacca, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina (Thailand) PCL.

“As the host province, I’m greatly proud to welcome all of the triathletes to participate in the Foremost Ironman 70.3 Thailand. Certainly, this top-notch competition has made a new chapter for sports and tourism in Phuket after the province has hosted several major sporting events for the past two years including the Asian Beach Games. It has shown Thailand’s potentials to host a major event and a good proof that an excellent cooperation has been made between the government and the private sectors. We also hope that Phuket will become one of major sports hubs of Asia in the near future,” said Phuket Governor Chokchai in the press conference.

Geoff Meyer, Managing Director of Ironman Asia, said, “The race is further evidence of the growing interest and development of Ironman throughout the region. Thailand has had a long history with Ironman and it’s fantastic that we are back again in Phuket with an Ironman 70.3 triathlon. An improved course and development in Phuket will allow us to grow the event beyond what we could in 2012 and we look forward to a great future in Thailand.”

The Foremost Ironman 70.3 Thailand has attracted several famous professional triathletes. They include Tim Reed, who made Australia proud as he took the Ironman 70.3 World Championship victory on home turf and claimed two titles last year in the Philippines.

Tim Reed’s challengers can be expected in compatriots Tim Van Berkel, champion at this year’s Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship in Queensland, Australia, and Matt Burton, silver medallist at this year’s Ironman 70.3 Bintan in Indonesia.

German Michael Raelert, consecutive two-time Laguna Phuket Triathlon champion and fourth place twice at this year’s Ironman 70.3 Austin in Texas and in Miami, Florida, France’s Antony Costes, second place at this year’s Ironman 70.3 Panama, and Briton Stuart Hayes, third place at this year’s Ironman 70.3 Putrajaya, Malaysia, are also ready to pose a strong threat to one another in the coming Sunday’s Foremost Ironman 70.3 Thailand at Laguna Phuket.