New IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork on August 14, 2021 joins IRONMAN Ireland, Cork, on August 15, for a massive triathlon festival in Youghal, Co Cork on the Emerald Isle. General registration to open September 16, 2020.
CORK / LONDON,(September 14, 2020) – Today, the IRONMAN Group and Cork County Council announced the addition of IRONMAN® 70.3® Ireland, Cork, on August 14, 2021. The race joins the existing IRONMAN Ireland, Cork on August 15, 2021. Together they will form Ireland’s biggest triathlon weekend, which also includes an IRONKIDS® event on Friday, August 13. It marks the first time in Irish triathlon history that three events by the IRONMAN Group will be hosted on the same weekend. The inaugural IRONMAN Ireland, Cork event took place in June 2019. The date has since shifted to August.
“Cork and Youghal hold a special place in our hearts ever since the inaugural edition of IRONMAN Ireland, Cork in 2019. It was a race you had to be there to believe. People didn’t seem to care about the adverse weather conditions – they were out in the street, celebrating, cheering on the athletes and bringing each and every one of them home to the finish line. If there is one place on earth that deserves a massive triathlon festival, it is this one. We are extremely thankful to return to this community on a new date and with an additional event delivering a huge tourism and economic boost to the area,” said Declan Byrne, Regional Director IRONMAN UK & Ireland.
Last year, IRONMAN Ireland, Cork had an estimated impact of 6.32 million Euro on the region. The addition of IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork will increase that figure as 1,500 additional athletes are expected to compete over the weekend.
IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork will feature a 1.9km (1.2-mile) swim combined with a 90.1km (56-mile) breath-taking bike route that heads straight out into the rolling Irish countryside with a combination of flat and undulating roads with magnificent views. The course takes athletes through the scenic East Ferry, through the town of Midleton – home to the famous Jameson Distillery – into the buzzing town centre of Youghal, and up the infamous Windmill Hill, a spectator hotspot. The 21.1km (13.1-mile) flat and fast run course finishes in the historical town of Youghal, taking in Youghal Harbour and the famous Clock Gate Tower. Both events will share the same iconic finish line in bustling Market Square.
Mayor of the County of Cork Councillor Mary Linehan-Foley said, “Both as Mayor of the County of Cork and a proud Youghal resident, I am particularly thrilled to welcome these fantastic athletes and their supporters to my East Cork hometown. I have known all my life what a hidden gem Youghal and East Cork are and the addition of the IRONMAN 70.3 with this festival weekend will showcase the best that we have to offer on a worldwide stage. In 2019, Youghal and East Cork showcased the true meaning of community spirit and all athletes and their supporters can look forward to the same community spirit in August 2021 and during their training visits beforehand”
Alistair Brownlee, Winner of IRONMAN Ireland 2019 added, “The support from the locals was unparalleled; the climb on Windmill Hill is tough but became a highlight due to the atmosphere created by the spectators. The crowd support throughout the event is just phenomenal! It provides the motivation you need to get across that finish line.”
Speaking about the 2021 event, Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey, said, “Cork County Council is especially proud to continue its relationship with IRONMAN with the addition of the IRONMAN 70.3. Today’s announcement means that we can all look forward to what promises to be a spectacular and unforgettable weekend in August 2021. This festival weekend will bring a significant economic boost to the local economy and promote Cork County as an international destination. This will be an event that invests in both people and place and I look forward to what will be an amazing experience for all.”
General registration for IRONMAN Ireland, Cork will open on Tuesday, September 16, 2020 at www.ironman.com/im703-ireland. Athlete inquiries may be directed to [email protected]
For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com
About The IRONMAN Group
The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® Virtual Racing™ (VR™) Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series®, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running™ Series, IRONKIDS®, ITU World Triathlon Series, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and The Sun-Herald City2Surf® presented by Westpac, Ultra-Trail® World Tour events including Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail Australia™, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, road cycling events, and other multisport races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN® brand and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines around the world. Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with hundreds of events across 55+ countries. The IRONMAN Group is owned by Advance, a private, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.ironman.com
About Advance
Advance is a private, family-held business that owns and invests in companies across media, entertainment, technology, communications, education and other promising growth sectors. Our mission is to build the value of our companies over the long-term by fostering growth and innovation. Advance’s portfolio includes Condé Nast, Advance Local, Stage Entertainment, The IRONMAN Group, American City Business Journals, Leaders Group, Turnitin, 1010data and Pop. Together these operating companies employ more than 17,000 people in 29 countries. Advance is also among the largest shareholders in Charter Communications, Discovery and Reddit. For more information visit www.advance.com