Excitement is building ahead of the return of Ironman Australia this weekend, with athletes from both home and abroad making their way to the Port Macquarie-Hastings region. More than 2,700 athletes will be in action on Sunday, taking on either the IM IM 70.3 events.
The 2023 event, to be held on Sunday 7 May, will feature new bike courses for both Ironman Australia and Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie races. The bike course will feature a number of changes, designed to lessen the impact the event has on the Port Macquarie-Hastings community, while also increasing enjoyment for athletes.
Geoff Meyer, Managing Director of Oceania for The IM Group, said that the team was looking forward to welcoming athletes, their families and supporters back to the region. “We can’t wait to see thousands of athletes back on the start line this Sunday for Ironman Australia. IM Australia is not only an important event for our athletes but it’s also incredibly important to the region and with more than 2,700 athletes racing, along with their families and friends who are travelling with them, it’s set to be a great weekend for all involved,” he said.
“Ironman Australia is the longest running IRONMAN event in the country, and we’re thrilled to be able to add to its storied history by launching this exciting bike course,” said Meyer. “The new bike course will take IRONMAN athletes onto roads they’ve never raced on before, adding a new element to this celebrated event. A key component of the new bike course is that the only way to unlock tackling these new roads is to race the full Ironman event, with those taking on the 180km ride the only ones to head west on Hastings River Drive and into the rural section, We’re excited to see what these new roads add to the event, and how they mix up the racing this weekend. This event will also be unique in the way that we will have two races, Ironman and Ironman 70.3, taking part on two separate courses at the same time, an element that sets Ironman Australia apart from any other event in the world.”
In the men’s race Tim van Berkel, Steven MCKenna, Sam Appleton, Nick Kastelein and Matt Burton will race, among others. In the women’s race Kylie Simpson, Radka Kahlefeldt, Chloe Lane en Meredith Hill will toe the line, among others.
