The organisers of the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire triathlon have announced that online entries for the event will open on 26 August 2014 at 13:00 BST for athletes who have pre-registered their interest in the event.
So far more than 7,500 people have registered an interest in signing up for one of the flattest, fastest triathlons on the sporting calendar for 2015 and organisers are expecting a surge in demand when places go on sale.
Pre-registered athletes will have 24 hours to secure a place on a first come, first served basis before general entries open at 13:00 BST on 27 August when any remaining places will be made available.
The 14 June 2015 Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire event will see 2,500 athletes complete a 1.2 mile swim in Chasewater reservoir and a 56 mile bike course through the stunning countryside outside Lichfield, Burton-upon-Trent and across the Cannock Chase area of outstanding natural beauty.
The concluding 13.1 mile run will start and finish at the historic Shugborough country estate, the former ancestral home of Lord Lichfield.
Kevin Stewart, Managing Director Ironman UK, said “We have had an incredible response to the announcement that we are coming to Staffordshire and there is bound to be a great demand for places when entries go live on August 26.
“The venue of Shugborough and the amazing backdrop of Staffordshire offers the perfect setting in every aspect and I am confident next year’s competition will swiftly prove a sell-out.”
Mike Lawrence, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said “We have absolutely no doubt that Ironman event will be a sporting spectacle which the county will both hugely enjoy and hugely benefit from.
“The response so far has been absolutely fantastic and I would urge people to keep this date in their diary if they are set on taking part in what is going to be a truly memorable inaugural event for Staffordshire.”
One of more than 70 events in the global Ironman 70.3 Series, Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire 2015 will offer age-group qualifying slots for athletes to qualify for the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Championship to be held in Europe for the first time, hosted by Zell am See, Austria.
Full details of the race will be available later this summer.
www.ironman.com/staffordshire70.3
www.staffordshire.gov.uk/ironman
