Ironman brand owner World Triathlon Corp (WTC) has confirmed that the picturesque town of Gurye, Korea has been selected to host the newest Ironman 70.3 triathlon in the Asia-Pacific region. The inaugural Ironman 70.3 Gurye Korea will take place on 4 October 2014.
“As Ironman continues to grow, we are thrilled to expand our event portfolio and offer athletes across the globe the opportunity to experience the beauty and diversity of Gurye,” said Geoff Meyer, Ironman Asia-Pacific CEO.
Gurye will welcome athletes with full support from the government and the local community including the Jeollanam-do Province, Gurye-Gun County and the Jeonnam Triathlon Association which will work together – aiming to deliver a first class race.
“The strong support of the government agencies has been phenomenal and we look forward to working with them to deliver a memorable experience for all involved,” added Meyer. “In addition, we are excited to work with our new partners, who have been delivering first class races in this region for years.”
Gurye is a beautiful and unique tourist destination, making it a perfect setting for Korea’s only Ironman 70.3 event. Gurye is located in the Southwest portion of Korea, and is easily accessible from Seoul, Busan, Gwangju and other major cities.
Athletes will begin with a 1.9K swim in the clean, calm and fresh waters of Jiri-san Lake, surrounded by the natural beauty of the scenic Jiri-san National Park. They will then experience a mostly flat, fast 90K bike leg taking in the scenic Guyre region, passing Jiri-san Mountain, rice fields and the Sumjin-gang River.
The 21.1K run leg takes athletes along the picturesque Sumjin-gang River before heading into Guyre Stadium where runners will complete a lap of honour before crossing the finish line.
One of more than 70 events in the global Ironman 70.3 Series, the Ironman 70.3 Gurye Korea triathlon will have a US$15,000 professional prize purse and will be a P-500 race. Additionally, the race will offer 30 age-group qualifying slots for the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Zell am See-Kaprun, SalzburgerLand, Austria.
General registration will open on Sunday 15 June 2014 on www.ironman.com/korea70.3.
