Having this week unveiled its 2016 IRONMAN European Tour schedule, the newest additions to the M-Dot series in Italy have now been officially unveiled. Italy’s capital of Rome and the seaside city of Civitavecchia will bolster the growing list of host cities for the 2016 IRONMAN European Tour.
Civitavecchia will host the very first full-distance IRONMAN event in Italy with the IRONMAN Civitavecchia triathlon on 16 October 2016. Rome will host the IRONMAN 70.3 Rome triathlon on 20 August 2016.
IRONMAN 70.3 Rome will take place in the heart of the city, featuring a unique swim in the EUR Lake, a potential event venue for the 2024 Olympic Games. (Rome is one of five candidate cities announced by the International Olympic Committee on 16 September)
The two new Italian races will join the IRONMAN 70.3 Pescara triathlon which takes place on 12 June 2016. More details about these two new events, including registration information, will be released in the coming weeks.
“We are looking forward to working with IRONMAN. The EUR Lake will be a great stage for IRONMAN‘s swim course and a huge step forward for the Italian triathlon community,” said Luigi Bianchi, President of the Italian Triathlon Association (FiTri).
Italy has been an emerging market for triathlon, with participation numbers in IRONMAN’s events growing from 500 athletes to almost 4,000 athletes in just five years. More than 1,500 Italian athletes (80% of the total field) participated in the sold-out 2015 IRONMAN 70.3 Pescara triathlon.
In addition, 550 Italian athletes (30% of total field) participated in the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Pula, Croatia, event this past September.
“We are excited to bring two new races to the ‘eternal city’ of Rome and the neighbouring community of Civitavecchia,” said Thomas Dieckhoff, CEO IRONMAN Europe, Middle East and Africa.
“Both venues provide an unforgettable scenic landscape. What could be more exciting than riding through the beautiful landscape of Lazio or running by some of the most historical buildings in the world.”
