The world's most demanding and renowned Half Ironman championship is debuting in Malaga. For the first time, the Ironman 70.3 circuit is coming ... to the Costa del Sol capital and it has already broken a record even before the event has even taken place, as the 3,000 race numbers available for this event sold out in just three and a half hours.
The race starts at 8.40am this Sunday from the city's port. Competitors from over 80 countries are taking part, with Spanish participants making up the largest group at 31 per cent, as they push their limits in a race that only a select few can tackle.
A course comprising a 1.9-kilometre swim, a 90-kilometre cycle and a 21.1-kilometre run (a half-marathon) is what these 3,000 participants will have to tackle, many of whom are already training in and around the centre of Malaga. The event will also take place in several other towns across the province.
The route
The swimming challenge sets off from Palmeral de las Sorpresas. The cycling stage starts at the end of Paseo del Parque, near Plaza General Torrijos.
The cyclists will pass through various towns in the province, setting off along the N-340 from El Palo and passing through La Cala del Moral, Rincón de la Victoria, Torre de Benagalbón, Chilches, Benajarafe, Almayate, Torre del Mar, Vélez-Málaga, Algarrobo and Torrox.
From the Torrox lighthouse, the competitors will start their journey back to Malaga and Paseo del Parque, at the other end of which (Plaza de la Marina) the run will begin.
The route follows Paseo de los Curas, Paseo de la Farola, the Ciudad de Melilla promenade and the Pablo Ruiz Picasso promenade, turning back at El Morlaco. On the return leg, the route follows the aforementioned promenades once more, then continues along Paseo de Levante to the cruise terminal, Paseo del Muelle Uno and Palmeral de las Sorpresas, where the finish line is located.
Elite athletes will be able to complete the course in around three and a half hours from the start. This will not be the case for the various age groups.
This Thursday, councillor for sport Borja Vivas presented the event at the city hall. He cited some figures: the average number of overnight stays by participants and their companions will be four. Based on the results of other Ironman 70.3 events such as the one in Valencia, the direct economic impact will be between nine and ten million euros.
Based on the survey following the event in Valencia, 89.2 per cent of those surveyed said they would return to the city, so we can expect something similar to happen after the race in Malaga.
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Vivas said that Ironman 70.3 was a real organisational challenge, particularly due to the significant traffic disruptions. The councillor apologised in advance should this interfere with the daily lives of the people of Malaga on Sunday. Above all, however, he emphasised the importance of an event like this and asked for understanding.
"We are very proud of this because we have been working on this event for a long time. It is a real challenge. It is a personal commitment on the part of the sports department and the province to bring an international event here. Malaga has the opportunity to demonstrate once again that we are capable of hosting this sort of event. The Ironman brand is synonymous with prestige and we must make an effort to minimise any inconvenience. I ask for your understanding because we have a lot at stake in bringing a world-class event here," Vivas said.
Head of sports at the Malaga provincial authority Juan Rosas highlighted the scale of this Ironman 70.3 event. This is the sixth time the race has come to the province, with Marbella having hosted it on previous occasions.
"It's a massive event and those who haven't yet experienced it first-hand will do so this weekend when they see the runners, cyclists and swimmers out on the streets. It's a very complex event, but one that is sure to be rewarding. It's important that a sporting event of this calibre comes to the city and other towns," Rosas said.
Director of Ironman 70.3 for Southern Europe Agustín Pérez also emphasised the potential of such a flat and spectacular course: "Ironman 70.3 believes in cities, in projects and in the future and what better place to be than Malaga. Ironman will feel right at home here. The Malaga-Ironman partnership works. It also attracts high-quality tourism. Malaga is the ideal destination, because it has it all. The athletes will remember this race for the rest of their lives and will come back afterwards. The impact has been huge. Malaga has a much brighter future ahead," Pérez said.