IRONMAN has confirmed its return to Belgium in 2023 with IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist, Belgium set to take place on September 17, 2023.
The inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist, Belgium will mark the return of the event brand to Belgium for the first time since 2012. Working with an existing event on the ground, it will see the evolution of the long-standing Zwintriathlon in Knokke-Heist into a weekend triathlon festival.
Kicking off the weekend’s activities on Saturday, September 16, 2023, will be the 5150 Knokke-Heist, an Olympic distance triathlon for athletes new to the sport or those who prefer to race over shorter distances.
On Sunday, triathletes will take on IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist with a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run through Belgium’s West Flanders region. Both the Olympic distance and half iron course will showcase the beaches and green landscapes of the Zwin nature reserve with a finish on Heist beach.
“Triathlon culture is closely woven into the DNA of our municipality,” said Mayor of Knokke-Heist, Piet De Groote.
“Knokke-Heist has successfully hosted many short and middle-distance triathlons over the years, as well as fun triathlon events for our younger generation, and so adding an IRONMAN 70.3 event to our calendar feels like the natural next step.
“We are very much looking forward to putting on a special and memorable event and look forward to welcoming athletes to our wonderful town next September.”
Thomas Veje Olsen, Managing Director of The IRONMAN Group in Europe, Middle East and Africa, said “We are so excited to see the return of IRONMAN 70.3 racing in Belgium after a few years’ absence.
“We have had our eyes on Knokke-Heist for a while now, thanks to its growing triathlon culture, coastal appeal, and close international travel links. Belgium has a strong triathlon culture and a proud history of producing multiple IRONMAN champions.
“Most well-known are former IRONMAN World Champions, Frederik Van Lierde and Luc Van Lierde as well as Marino Vanhoenacker, Bart Aernouts and Tine Deckers who also claimed titles on the European and world stages.”
Knokke-Heist is billed as the greenest municipality on the Belgian coast. More than a quarter of the municipality is made up of recreational parks or untouched forestry – all accessible by bicycle.
IRONMAN adds that… ‘Knokke-Heist boasts diverse culinary delicacies, such as L’étage, and it is known as paradise for food lovers. It has numerous cultural events throughout the year, and a range of first-class shops for the shopping fanatics.’
Frederik Van Lierde, Belgian professional triathlete and 2013 IRONMAN World Champion, said “Knokke-Heist, an iconic destination for triathlon in Belgium! A very beautiful setting on the Belgian coast and a course where it is not the elevation that makes the difference, but the wind.
“I won on a similar course back in 2010 and 2012, and it was the perfect preparation for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i.”
IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist will offer qualifying slots to the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship taking place on December 14-15, 2024, in Taupo, New Zealand.
