Ironman returns, with first edition in Knokke-Heist

The action will start on Saturday September 16, 2023 with a triathlon over the Olympic distance. On Sunday, triathletes from all over the world will participate in the IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist, where they will have to swim 1.9 kilometers, cycle 90 kilometers and run 21.1 kilometers through West Flanders.

Both courses run along the beaches and green landscapes of the Zwin nature reserve and end at Heist beach.

DNA of Knokke

“The triathlon culture is closely intertwined with the DNA of our municipality,” says Piet De Groote, mayor of Knokke-Heist. “Knokke-Heist has organized numerous short and medium-length triathlons in recent years. It seemed like a logical step to add the IRONMAN 70.3 event to our calendar.”

Athletes participating in the IRONMAN 70.3 will kick off competition day with a 1.9km swim in the North Sea. The bicycle course consists of a loop and takes the athletes along the green countryside and the polders of Ramskapelle, Damme, Oostkerke, Hoeke and Sluis. The roads are flat and fast, ideal for breaking your personal best. To conclude, the athletes run 21.1 km along the Zeedijk. Then they return to the beach, where the arrival is located.

Registrations will start soon

Frederik Van Lierde, professional Belgian triathlete and IRONMAN world champion in 2013, reacts enthusiastically: “Knokke-Heist, an iconic place for triathlon in Belgium. A beautiful setting along the Belgian coast and a course where it is not the altimeters, but the wind that makes the difference.”

IRONMAN 70.3 Knokke-Heist offers qualifying spots for the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, which will take place on December 14-15, 2024 in Taupo, New Zealand. The general registrations open on October 4, 2022.