Ironman returns, with a first edition in Knokke-Heist

The action will begin on Saturday September 16, 2023 with a triathlon over the Olympic distance. On Sunday, triathletes from all over the world will take part 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 routes run along the beaches and green landscapes of the Zwin nature reserve and end at Heist beach.

Knokke DNA

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

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

Registrations will start soon

Frederik Van Lierde, Belgian professional triathlete and IRONMAN world champion in 2013, reacts enthusiastically: “Knokke-Heist, an emblematic place for triathlon in Belgium. A magnificent 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 places for the VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship 2024, which will take place on December 14 and 15, 2024 in Taupo, New Zealand. The general registrations opened on October 4, 2022.