It’s been over 10 years since Ironman last hosted an event in Belgium, but in 2023 the famous triathlon brand will finally return for Ironman 70.3 Knokke-Heist. The race is set to take place on Sep. 17, 2023. Under a different name – the Zwintriatlon – the race is already famous among Belgian triathletes. The race will start in the North Sea with a 1900-meter swim, take athletes through the coastal area on a one-lap 90K bike course, before athletes will finish their day with a half-marathon over the ‘Zeedijk’ (dike).
The day before the Ironman 70.3 event, Knokke-Heist will also host an Ironman 5150 race, an Olympic Distance.
“Triathlon culture is closely woven into the DNA of our municipality”, the Mayor of Knokke-Heist, Piet De Groote, comments. “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, says: “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.”
