A leg of the Ironman 70.3 Triathlon world series will return to Galway this September and has secured major contracts to have the event broadcast all over the world. The inaugural 2011 event was estimated to have brought around €10 million in direct spending into the local economy as well as substantial benefit from the worldwide TV coverage.
This year’s renewal will be broadcast on Channel 4 and Sky in Britain, Canal+ in France, Universal Sports in the US, Guangdong TV in China as well as ESPN and Al Jazeera around the world.
The event will be held over the weekend of the 31st of August to the 2nd for September with the race itself taking place on Sunday the 2nd of September.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Galway and Connemara and to promote the West of Ireland region to millions of potential visitors,” said Eoin McCormack of E&R Events, which is putting the race together.
“Overseas competitors are generally ABC1, successful, goal oriented, type visitors who come with their families, and the gruelling nature of the event means they must stay at least three nights with many more opting to stay in Ireland for their yearly holiday.”
The Ironman 70.3 Series is a worldwide event over distances that are half those of an Ironman race.  Competitors swim for 1.9KM then cycle for 90KM and run for 21KM.  Irish competitors came third in the men’s and fourth in the women’s event in last year’s inaugural running.
Local sponsors included Fáilte Ireland, the Irish Daily Mail, NUI Galway and the Galway Bay Hotel.
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