2018 Ironman 70.3 World Champs

[pista]

Ironman route changed to ensure cyclists’ safety

 

 

 

The planned cycling route for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship has been altered to provide a safer course for the thousands of international triathletes expected in Port Elizabeth in September.

This emerged at a joint media briefing by mayor Athol Trollip and Ironman world championship vice-president Diana Bertsch yesterday.

A new logo for the world championship, set to be held in the city on September 1 and 2, was also unveiled.

Bertsch, who was in Port Elizabeth this week as part of a site visit to evaluate the city’s progress in preparing for the event, said the decision to change the route had come when she was travelling along the planned cycling course.

“In any planning for any special event, there’s always going to be a thousand plans and many more changes as you go, to make certain that what you’re doing is absolutely the best,” Bertsch said.

“It doesn’t matter where you are, the bike course is always going to be your biggest challenge, because there’s no road out there that’s going to be absolutely perfect.

“As we started driving the course on this visit, we decided that it would probably be better to make some changes that are in the best interests of the athlete, to provide a fair and safer course.”

Trollip said the new route, which would also be more spectator-friendly, would involve Heugh Road.

“Instead of going out to Kings Beach, [along] Marine Drive to Schoenmakerskop and onto the Seaview Road, [it] will go along the beachfront and up Walmer Boulevard and Heugh Road, through Mount Pleasant to Seaview and then turn around,” he said.

Ironman South Africa race director Paul Wolff said 90% of the usual route would still be used.

Trollip said this was also why the budget for the necessary road upgrades – first estimated at about R200-million and recently lowered to R25-million when the metro decided to only complete the most urgent roadworks – was not likely to change.

“[We’ve] sourced enough money to bring the road, whatever the route is, to the standard that’s required by World Ironman,” he said.

“I also met at the end of the year with the premier, who made a commitment that if necessary he would convene a meeting with myself and the MECs for tourism and roads, so if there are any additional requirements, I would be able to press on the province to [provide] the necessary support.”

However, Trollip said the roads that required attention along the route were now mostly municipal roads.

Bay triathlete and Ironman veteran Kyle Buckingham said he was very pleased about the new route.

“It makes for a fair, exciting race,” Buckingham said.

Trollip estimated that construction on these roads would start in March, ahead of the annual Ironman championship in Port Elizabeth in April.

In the meantime, the metro was devising plans to ensure the safety of athletes who would be training along this route.

Mayoral committee member for safety and security John Best said patrols had been implemented each morning from 5am to 11am, with the metro police, police, traffic officials and private security companies taking turns.

For Bertsch, the safety of the athletes is also paramount.

“The most important thing we can do is swim, bike [and] run. That’s why the athletes are coming here,” she said.

“If we don’t do that right, then we don’t have much of an event.”

She said the Ironman delegation’s visit to the city had reinforced their partnership with the metro.

“We are absolutely thrilled at the opportunity to host the championship here in Nelson Mandela Bay.”

Trollip said: “Our commitment has been reinforced this week. We have been to war to make sure we can host this event.”

[IceCreamMan]

I am not knoelwgeable bout PE but by the sounds of it this route will remove that dangerous corner at the bottom of the hill and those speed bumps...if I understand it right...the downside is that we will be going through town and this caused mayhem with the locals previously...

 

I assume this,will be the IM course as well.

 

Also means more time on the “Seaview Road” which is boring AF as it is.

[IceCreamMan]

Ok, so social media is abuzz with this....it still has that corner it’s just now only one directional traffic which does make it safer. Does increase the elevation for the bike leg but that’s ok, I live in a hilly area so not too concerned about it. Would still be less elevation than the 2014/5 course so no worries.

 

IM have not said they will be,using this course but I guess they will want to try it before the worlds so it’s possible. Only thing I don’t like about it is that the turnaround is after maitland corner and there is a nasty uphill there going inland as I recall it was a downhill in 2014/5

 

Whatever the route is I am going to suffer so bring it on.

[SwissVan]

Ei  forgot about this....would like to go down and do it

Suppose its to late to enter?

[_David_]

Ei  forgot about this....would like to go down and do it

Suppose its to late to enter?

 

The World Champs is by qualification only.

 

I see there are a 100 slots up for grabs at 70.3 EL and a 100 more at Durban.

[SwissVan]

The World Champs is by qualification only.

 

I see there are a 100 slots up for grabs at 70.3 EL and a 100 more at Durban.

Good point, that solves that question

[shaper]

Official logo http://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2018/01/20/ironman-logo-gets-cautious-welcome/amp/

[pista]

Another PE cyclist attacked.

 

https://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2018-06-10-pe-cyclist-attacked-in-walmer/

[amr63]

Another PE cyclist attacked.

 

https://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2018-06-10-pe-cyclist-attacked-in-walmer/

eish, not good. May have also lost part of a finger in the attack (right index finger is bandaged & looks short, although that may be from a previous injury since he owns an engineering workshop. edit: may also just be the angle of the photo). Hope & pray for your speedy recovery buddy.

[@ndy]

Has anyone doing this event struggled with confirming their entry? When I click on the link I get told I have to pay for a day license its not a big expense but I already have a license. I have emailed them last week with no reply.

[amr63]

Has anyone doing this event struggled with confirming their entry? When I click on the link I get told I have to pay for a day license its not a big expense but I already have a license. I have emailed them last week with no reply.

May have something to do with the fact that the current 2017/18 TSA license expires on 31 August and the race takes place in October. This does not explain why your email has not been answered.

[shaper]

Has anyone doing this event struggled with confirming their entry? When I click on the link I get told I have to pay for a day license its not a big expense but I already have a license. I have emailed them last week with no reply.

Also got that and I just paid it.  Was going to take it up with TSA at registration when in PE

[Grantc]

Also got that and I just paid it. Was going to take it up with TSA at registration when in PE

Good luck with that.

I did/thought the same thing for IMSA.

 

Some volunteer sitting at TSA table had no idea what I was talking about. Not a TSA official in sight

[EmJayZA]

What is the role of TSA? Why do amateur athletes have to pay this registration fee? I looked around their website, and there it nothing to explain this. When selecting what type of license I need (Full or Recreational), there is no explanation either. Feels like a ripoff imo. 

[@ndy]

Regarding the day License. I still have no response from Ironman, but TSA got back to me within an hour of my email to say that they are taking up the License issue with Ironman. They hope to resolve the problem tomorrow. 

[Angus**]

Hi guys, 

I know this is not the right group but has anybody found a cheaper carb drink to use on longer training sessions. Hammer Perpetuem is pretty pricey.