The IRONMAN Group has confirmed the acquisition of indoor virtual cycling app, FulGaz. This marks the global event company’s first major digital technology acquisition. According to IRONMAN it is a… ‘major step towards delivering enhanced services to athletes throughout their entire athletic journey.
‘Building on the IRONMAN Virtual Racing (VR) Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Series, and Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon Virtual Racing Series, the world’s largest operator of mass participation sporting events will expand its offerings to the quickly evolving worldwide connected fitness community.’
IRONMAN has previously worked with tech partners on the delivery of interactive, virtual event experiences. For example, the IRONMAN Virtual Racing (VR) Series and IRONMAN Virtual Club previously used the ROUVY virtual cycling platform.
The acquisition of FulGaz shifts gear for IRONMAN. It notes that ‘FulGaz brings unprecedented realistic outdoor experiences to cyclists as they train and compete indoors.’
The app already has a curated library of 1,500+ unique routes from over 40 countries. This is underpinned by… ‘cutting edge technology and 4K video content which truly brings these rides to life.
‘The founder of FulGaz, Mike Clucas, and his team will bring their expertise to The IRONMAN Group aligning organizational strengths from leaders in both in-person and virtual endurance event and training experiences.’
“The acquisition of FulGaz marks a milestone for The IRONMAN Group as we continue our growth and movement into the connected fitness space,” said Andrew Messick, President and Chief Executive Officer for The IRONMAN Group.
“We are uniquely suited to provide athletes a 360-degree experience using the innovations Mike and his team have created within FulGaz’s high-quality virtual riding technology. FulGaz’s emphasis on providing high-quality augmented reality experiences aligns with our connected fitness strategy and goals.
“We believe this acquisition will set us up for long-term success as we work to integrate this versatile platform into our portfolio of digital offerings.”
Mike Clucas, founder of FulGaz and now Vice President of Digital Sports for The IRONMAN Group, said “FulGaz prides itself on the quality of our rides and the community we have built. For some time now, we have been looking for a way to expand FulGaz while keeping our focus firmly on those who matter the most to us – our community of athletes.
“Becoming part of The IRONMAN Group allows our team to continue to develop our product to the next level with the backing of a global partner that provides access to amazing events and passionate communities of athletes. Together, we will continue to capture the best rides from around the globe and offer the best indoor riding experience available.”
He continued, “By joining The IRONMAN Group, we are uniquely positioned to expand our current offerings to existing FulGaz users while changing the way multi-sport athletes train. For me personally, this is an opportunity to leverage my years of high-level triathlon and cycling coaching experience to help The IRONMAN Group expand its digital offerings and achieve its goals.”
In the coming months, subscribers will see hardware enhancements and the new partnership will expand the FulGaz virtual events portfolio – as the app enables users to discover real life event courses before they challenge themselves on race day, making the platform a tool for real-world event preparation.
IRONMAN adds that ‘The platform will bring the energy and the vibrancy of The IRONMAN Group’s vast array of live-events offerings into the digital space, while providing realistic and effective training options for seasoned and aspiring athletes alike.’
“We have joined forces with FulGaz, a company that shares our passion and commitment to our athletes and their training journey,” said Roshanie Ross, Chief Digital Officer for The IRONMAN Group. “FulGaz brings a strong foundation on which to build our connected fitness offerings to prepare our athletes to have a successful race day.”
www.ironman.com
www.fulgaz.com
