Triathlon News: The 2018 IRONMAN World Championship will be held in Africa for the first time, more specifically in the Nelson Mandela Bay region of South Africa. Even if the battle for the top of the world is taking place for the first time on the African continent, the venue has hosted an IRONMAN race for more than 15 years.
Nelson Mandela Bay is close to the economic metropolis of Port Elizabeth, where IRONMAN competitions have been held regularly since 2004. In 2018, Africa's southernmost city will have the honor of hosting the IRONMAN World Championships for the first time. “We are happy and proud to host the 70.3 IRONMAN 2018 World Championship. With the Standard Bank IRONMAN African Championship, we laid the foundation for a successful World Championship. Add to that the mild climate, great beaches and tourism potential. We are ready to welcome the best athletes in the world to Nelson Mandela Bay." says Athol Trollip, Acting Prime Minister of Nelson Mandela Bay.
Over 6.000 athletes are expected in Nelson Mandela Bay in the first week of September 2018; the program stretches over an entire week and, in addition to the title fights, also includes numerous other events and activities for athletes and their families. IRONMAN Europe is also full of confidence in view of the new venue: “Athletes from all over the world are already looking forward to South African hospitality and an extraordinary race. For more than ten years we have had the privilege of working with Port Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela Bay. It will be a world-class event,” says Hans-Peter Zurbrügg, the Managing Director.
This year the IRONMAN World Championships took place in Mooloolaba, Australia and in 2017 the competitions will be held in Chattanooga in the south-east of the USA.