Ironman 70.3

An Ironman 70.3, also known as a Half Ironman, is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). The "70.3" refers to the total distance in miles (113.0 km) covered in the race, consisting of a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) swim, a 56-mile (90 km) bike ride, and a 13.1-mile (21.1 km) run. Each distance of the swim, bike, and run segments is half the distance of that segment in an Ironman Triathlon. The Ironman 70.3 series culminates each year with a World Championship competition, for which competitors qualify during the 70.3 series in the 12 months prior to the championship race. In addition to the World Championship race, Ironman 70.3 championship competitions are also held for the European, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America regions.[1][2][3]

For other uses, see Ironman.

The time needed by an athlete to complete a 70.3 distance event varies from race to race and can be influenced by external factors. These factors include the terrain and the total elevation gained and lost on the course, weather conditions, and course conditions. Finish times range from sub-four-hour completion times by elite level athletes to the imposed race cut off, which is commonly 8 hours and 30 minutes after the start time.[4][5][6]

Ironman 70.3 World Championship

Qualification into the Ironman 70.3 World Championship can be obtained through the Ironman 70.3 series of events held during the 12-month qualification period prior to the championship. Some Ironman 70.3 events also act as qualifiers for the full Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, USA.[7] Professional triathletes qualify for the championship race by competing in races during the qualifying period, earning points towards their pro rankings. An athlete's five highest-scoring races are counted toward their pro rankings. The top 50 males and top 35 females in the pro rankings qualify for the championship race.[8]

Amateur triathletes can qualify for the championship race by earning a qualifying slot at one of the qualifying events. At qualifying events, slots are allocated to each age group category, male and female, with the number of slots given out based on that category's proportional representation of the overall field. Each age group category is tentatively allocated one qualifying spot in each qualifying event.

From its first year as a championship race series in 2006 until 2010, the Ironman 70.3 World Championships were held in Clearwater, Florida, USA during the month of November. In 2011, the 70.3 Championship venue changed to Las Vegas along with date of the event moved up in the calendar to September. Lake Las Vegas is the site of the event's swim.[9] For 2014 and all following years the location for the 70.3 Championship will change each year.

Men's championship
Year Gold Silver Bronze
2006  Craig Alexander (AUS)  Simon Lessing (GBR)  Richie Cunningham (AUS)
2007  Andy Potts (USA)  Oscar Galíndez (ARG)  Andrew Johns (GBR)
2008  Terenzo Bozzone (NZL)  Andreas Raelert (GER)  Richie Cunningham (AUS)
2009  Michael Raelert (GER)  Daniel Fontana (ITA)  Matthew Reed (USA)
2010  Michael Raelert (GER)  Filip Ospalý (CZE)  Timothy O'Donnell (USA)
2011  Craig Alexander (AUS)  Chris Lieto (USA)  Jeff Symonds (CAN)
2012  Sebastian Kienle (GER)  Craig Alexander (AUS)  Bevan Docherty (NZL)
2013  Sebastian Kienle (GER)  Terenzo Bozzone (NZL)  Joe Gambles (AUS)
2014  Javier Gómez (ESP)  Jan Frodeno (GER)  Tim Don (GBR)
2015  Jan Frodeno (GER)  Sebastian Kienle (GER)  Javier Gómez (ESP)
2016  Timothy Reed (AUS)  Sebastian Kienle (GER)  Ruedi Wild (SUI)
2017  Javier Gómez (ESP)  Ben Kanute (USA)  Tim Don (GBR)
2018  Jan Frodeno (GER)  Alistair Brownlee (GBR)  Javier Gómez (ESP)
2019  Gustav Iden (NOR)  Alistair Brownlee (GBR)  Rodolphe Von Berg (USA)
2021  Gustav Iden (NOR)  Sam Long (USA)  Daniel Baekkegard (DNK)
2022  Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR)  Ben Kanute (USA)  Magnus Ditlev (DEN)
2023  Rico Bogen (GER)  Frederic Funk (GER)  Jan Stratmann (GER)

Women's championship
Year Gold Silver Bronze
2006  Samantha McGlone (CAN)  Lisa Bentley (CAN)  Mirinda Carfrae (AUS)
2007  Mirinda Carfrae (AUS)  Samantha McGlone (CAN)  Leanda Cave (GBR)
2008  Joanna Zeiger (USA)  Mary Beth Ellis (USA)  Becky Lavelle (USA)
2009  Julie Dibens (GBR)  Mary Beth Ellis (USA)  Magali Tisseyre (CAN)
2010  Jodie Swallow (GBR)  Leanda Cave (GBR)  Magali Tisseyre (CAN)
2011  Melissa Rollison (AUS)  Karin Thürig (SUI)  Linsey Corbin (USA)
2012  Leanda Cave (GBR)  Kelly Williamson (USA)  Heather Jackson (USA)
2013  Melissa Hauschildt (AUS)  Heather Jackson (USA)  Annabel Luxford (AUS)
2014  Daniela Ryf (SUI)  Jodie Swallow (GBR)  Heather Wurtele (CAN)
2015  Daniela Ryf (SUI)  Heather Wurtele (CAN)  Anja Beranek (GER)
2016  Holly Lawrence (GBR)  Melissa Hauschildt (AUS)  Heather Wurtele (CAN)
2017  Daniela Ryf (SUI)  Emma Pallant (GBR)  Laura Philipp (GER)
2018  Daniela Ryf (SUI)  Lucy Charles (GBR)  Anne Haug (GER)
2019  Daniela Ryf (SUI)  Holly Lawrence (GBR)  Imogen Simmonds (SUI)
2021  Lucy Charles (GBR)  Jeanni Metzler (SA)  Taylor Knibb (USA)
2022  Taylor Knibb (USA)  Paula Findlay (CAN)  Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR)
2023  Taylor Knibb (USA)  Katrina Matthews (GBR)  Imogen Simmonds (SUI)

Location
Year Location
2006–2010Clearwater, Florida, USA
2011–2013Henderson, Nevada, USA
2014Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada
2015 Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria
2016Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia
2017Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
2018Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa
2019Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France
2020Taupō, New Zealand* Event did not run due to Covid restrictions
2021St. George, Utah, USA
2022 St. George, Utah, USA
2023Lahti, Finland
2024 Taupō, New Zealand

History

The first Half Ironman branded race was Half Ironman UK, which was raced in 2001.[10][11] However, prior to the launch of the 70.3 series in 2005, races were then known as Half Ironman before adopting the Ironman 70.3 label.[12] The oldest half-iron-distance race, though not under the WTC umbrella at the time, is the Superfrog Triathlon, which began in 1979.[13][14]

The number of qualification events within the 70.3 series has grown since its inception, growing to match the popularity of the sport and interest in the distance.[15] Since the first year of the Ironman 70.3 Championship race in 2006 the series grew from 14 events to over 60 events in the span of seven years. The 2016 series saw 89 events worldwide, with the biggest one-year increase in the number of events coming between the 2011 and 2012 series when the number of races grew from 38 to 57.

Since 2022, Vietnam's automobile maker VinFast was the first ever naming rights partner for 2022 Ironman World Championship and 2023 Ironman 70.3 World Championship.[16]

World records

Due to the lack of course certification for half-iron distance races, there is no official world record for 70.3 events. The fastest times to complete a half-iron distance race for men and women were both set at the 2019 Ironman 70.3 Bahrain by Kristian Blummenfelt and Holly Lawrence.[17] While these still remain the fastest times for any Ironman-branded 70.3 race, they were achieved on a 53.9-mile (86.8 km) bike course,[18] noticeably less than the standard 56-mile (90 km) course for 70.3 events.

Ironman 70.3 records
Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Location Ref
Men Ironman 70.3 Dubai 3:26:06
(22:49-0:52-1:53:28-1:02-1:07:56)		 Marten Van Riel  Belgium March 5, 2022 Dubai, United Arab Emirates [19]

[20]

Women Ironman 70.3 Dubai 3:53:03
(26:28-0:54-2:04:52-1:18-1:19:31)		 Laura Philipp  Germany March 5, 2022 Dubai, United Arab Emirates [21]

[20]

Half-iron distance records
Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Location Ref
Men Ironman 70.3 Dubai 3:26:06
(22:49-0:52-1:53:28-1:02-1:07:56)		 Marten Van Riel  Belgium March 5, 2022 Dubai, United Arab Emirates [19]

[20]

Women Ironman 70.3 Dubai 3:53:03
(26:28-0:54-2:04:52-1:18-1:19:31)		 Laura Philipp  Germany March 5, 2022 Dubai, United Arab Emirates [21]

[20]

References
  1. "Ironman Germany 70.3 Named European Championship". World Triathlon Corporation. 6 May 2010. Archived from the original on 18 November 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  2. "Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship Announced". World Triathlon Corporation. 13 November 2009. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  3. "Ironman 70.3 Panama 2012". TriathlonBusiness.com. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  4. "Kansas 70.3 Athlete Guide 2012" (PDF). World Triathlon Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  5. "Augusta 70.3 Athlete Guide 2012" (PDF). World Triathlon Corporation. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  6. "Racine 70.3 Athlete Guide 2012" (PDF). World Triathlon Corporation. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  7. "Qualification FAQ". World Triathlon Corporation. Archived from the original on March 28, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  8. "2014 Ironman World Championship 70.3 Qualifying". World Triathlon Corporation. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  9. Empfield, Dan (7 October 2010). "70.3 WC: Viva Las Vegas". Slowtwitch.com. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  10. "Ironman 70.3 UK". World Triathlon Corporation. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  11. Docherty, Rob. "Half Ironman UK". Xtri.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  12. "History of Triathlon". Ironman South Africa. Archived from the original on August 18, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  13. Zeigler, Mark (September 29, 2012). "Armstrong to Compete here in Superfrog Triathlon". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  14. "History of SUPERFROG". SUPERFROG, Inc. Triathlons. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  15. "Triathlon participation, growth trends and demographics". USA Triathlon. April 2013. Archived from the original on December 5, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  16. VINFAST AND IRONMAN ANNOUNCE A GROUNDBREAKING AND COMPREHENSIVE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP PR Newswire 22 Jul, 2022
  17. "Bahrain: Middle East 70.3 Champs three-peats for Blummenfelt and Lawrence". USA Triathlon. December 9, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  18. "Kristian Blummenfelt - Ride". December 7, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  19. Levison, John (March 5, 2022). "IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai 2022 results: Marten Van Riel is the real deal". tri247.com. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  20. "2022 IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai Results". ironman.com. March 5, 2022.
  21. "Laura Philipp outruns Daniela Ryf to win Ironman 70.3 Dubai". tri-today.com. March 5, 2022.
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