Mittwoch, 21. Mai 2014

Verbände der Deutschen Triathlon Union und IRONMAN Germany vereinbaren Zusammenarbeit

Kooperation zwischen Veranstaltern, Landesverbänden und der DTU soll einheitliche Qualität sichern und Breitensport fördern. Planungen für langfristige Zusammenarbeit vor allem im Bereich der Wettkampfrichter, erste Änderungen bereits in der IRONMAN-Saison 2014.
 
Der Veranstalter der Mittel- und Lang-Distanzrennen in Frankfurt und Wiesbaden, IRONMAN Germany, will in Zukunft wieder mit den Verbänden und der DTU zusammenarbeiten. Ziel der Kooperationspartner ist es, den Triathlonsport in Deutschland nachhaltig zu fördern und mit Blick auf die Entwicklung und zum Wohle der Sportart gemeinsame Ziele zu verfolgen. Die Zusammenarbeit bei Veranstaltungen und darüber hinaus ist dabei maßgebend.
 
Björn Steinmetz, Managing Director bei der IRONMAN Germany, [...] legt besonderen Wert auf das Vertrauen zwischen Verbänden und Veranstalter: „Es ist an der Zeit, dass IRONMAN und die DTU wieder intensiv miteinander kooperieren. Mit dem Austausch von Erfahrungen und daraus resultierenden gemeinsamen Ideen wollen wir den deutschen Triathlon zukünftig noch mehr unterstützen. Auch im Kampf gegen Doping werden wir gemeinsam vorgehen und uns für einen sauberen Sport – im Profifeld wie auch im Breitensport – stark machen. “
 
Diesen Schritt begrüßen auch die DTU und ihre beteiligten Landesverbände. Die Verbands-Vertreter aus den Ländern, in denen IRONMAN-Wettkämpfe stattfinden, haben sich entsprechend mit den Verantwortlichen aus Hanau zusammengesetzt und – auch unter Mithilfe der DTU – die Zusammenarbeit abgestimmt. DTU-Präsident Dr. Martin Engelhardt sieht die Annäherung positiv. „Es ist erfreulich, dass wir als Dachverband zusammen mit den betroffenen Landesverbänden ab sofort mit einem der wichtigen Veranstalter der Triathlonszene zusammenarbeiten. Unsere Ziele sind in vielen Punkten deckungsgleich und die Verbände haben in einigen Bereichen Kernkompetenzen, die ein Zusammenwirken auch für IRONMAN sinnvoll machen. Mein ausdrücklicher Dank diesbezüglich gilt den Landesverbänden aus Mecklenburg-Vorpommern und Hessen für ihren Einsatz in der Abstimmung.“
 
Diese haben sich unter Leitung von Peter Richter vom Hessischen Triathlon Verband auf ein zukünftiges Miteinander verständigt, was beide Parteien nun leben wollen. Richter ist froh, „dass wir beim Triathlon nach mehreren schwierigen Jahren nun wieder an einem Strang in die gleiche Richtung ziehen, um unseren Sport noch attraktiver für die Athleten zu machen.“
 
Im Zuge der Zusammenarbeit werden die Verbände zukünftig vor und während der Wettkämpfe aktiver eingebunden. Erste und wichtigste Neuerung: Alle deutschen IRONMAN–Rennen ab der Saison 2014 werden wieder von Schiedsrichtern der DTU beaufsichtigt. Der erste Einsatz erfolgt beim nächsten IRONMAN-Rennen am 6. Juli in Frankfurt.

Freitag, 9. Mai 2014

Inaugural Challenge Bahrain Triathlon with big paychecks

TEAMChallenge, owner of global Challenge Triathlon Franchise announced their latest race addition in Bahrain, over half-distance offering a record paycheck in total.

Challenge Bahrain announced

Challenge Family has announced Challenge Bahrain as the newest member of our global triathlon series. Challenge Bahrain promises to set a new standard in triathlon with a record prize purse and unsurpassed overall experience for all athletes.

With the first of the annual events taking place on 6 December 2014, Challenge Bahrain marks a new Middle East partnership between Challenge Family and Bahrain. The partnership will have a strong focus on encouraging new participation and excellence in triathlon while creating an opportunity for professional athletes with its US$500,000 prize purse, the largest in the world over the 1.9km/90km/21km distance to insure the widest and most professional participation.

The point-to-point course is designed to take athletes on a journey through Bahrain’s history, from the high tech future to the roots of this ancient civilisation dating back 4,000 years. It also includes one of the most exciting new developments in the progression of triathlon, the newly announced “Bahrain Triathlon City”. Dedicated purely to triathlon, this unique high performance training centre will feature altitude-controlled training facilities and accommodation as well as world classing swimming, biking and running circuits, aimed at being the best in the world.

The Challenge Bahrain 1.9km swim will take place in the calm waters of Bahrain Bay, surrounded by some of the Middle East’s most striking modern architecture, including the landmark Four Seasons and World Trade Centre in the Financial Harbour of Manama.

On leaving T1, athletes will cross over the bridge to the traditional community on Muharraq Island before heading back to Manama and past the Al Fateh Grand Mosque, the largest in Bahrain and the National Museum, hosting the newly inaugurated world-class National Theatre. After looping back through the spectator areas of T1, the bike course heads out of the city, and through the residential areas. As it heads south, the course leaves behind the ‘land of a million palm trees’ and heads to the desert, passing through a major archaeological site. The thousands of Dilmun Burial Mounds date back to 3,000BC when the beauty of Bahrain was considered heaven, the most perfect eternal resting place.

After their journey through history, the athletes will go forward through time for a lap of the Formula One track, designed to be the fastest in the world. The cars do it in 1:40, the athletes are expected to take a little longer!

The run leg is unique, traversing through the heart of a wild life park. Athletes will run past ostriches, giraffes, birds, horses, camels, Oryx and through the natural landscapes of Bahrain before crossing the finish line at the Formula One complex.

His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of The Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, said the partnership with Challenge Family was driven by a desire to inspire the nation’s citizens by staging a world class event open to public participation.

“We have always been committed to host world-class sport events in The Kingdom of Bahrain in order to provide our youth and sports communities the opportunity to experience what the world has to offer at their arms reach. From Formula One to various other events, it is time for us to support one of the fastest growing sport in the world, triathlon. With open arms, we say welcome to you all to the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

President of the Bahrain Triathlon Association, Shaikh Saqer bin Salman Al Khalifa, said while Bahrain is a small island, it is rich with character and Challenge Bahrain will give athletes a true taste of its culture and local flavours, as well as its commitment to taking triathlon to the next level.

“Our aim in the Triathlon Association is to promote the spread of triathlon in our Kingdom and place ourselves in the world triathlon map. Challenge Bahrain is the perfect fit in our strategy and we will aim to capitalize as much as we can by both providing local programmes to increase our triathletes’ base as well as be as hospitable as possible to international professional and age group triathletes so we can build a good and solid integration. We believe in the future of triathlon.”

Challenge Family CEO, Zibi Szlufcik echoed these sentiments, “This will be spectacular! Athletes will be blown away by what they will experience in Bahrain, from the high-level calibre of competition to the outstanding race packs, to the generous hospitality of the Bahrain people,” he said. “Challenge Family’s commitment to athlete experience and the progression of the sport will leap several steps forward with Challenge Bahrain. With the full support from the authorities in the government of Bahrain, we have a long term future of working together to set new standards to the benefit of all levels of triathlon, from the pro athletes to the first timers and everyone in between.”

Challenge Bahrain will take place on 6 December 2014 with entries for both individuals and relay teams open.

Kraichgau Triathlon offers 2015 Slots for Kona and 70.3 World Championship Zell am See-Kaprun

After a long public back an forth battle around Kraichgau Triathlon, new owner World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) announced an inaugural 2015 Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau Triathlon. The race, known until 2014 and before as Kraichgau Triathlon Festival and Half-Challenge Kraichgau will maintain existing sponsors, most of the team and established venues.

Additionally WTC pushes the event with qualifying spots for both World Championship races in Kona and Zell am See-Kaprun

IRONMAN® adds IRONMAN® 70.3® Kraichgau
powered by KraichgauEnergie 
 
Tradition, emotion, passion have made the Kraichgau region in southwestern Germany one of Europe’s premier triathlon hotspots. Now the course is set for the future, as IRONMAN is proud to announce the latest addition to its growing IRONMAN European Tour – the inaugural Sparkasse IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau powered by KraichgauEnergie on June 7, 2015.

“The Kraichgau region has made itself a household name for German triathletes. Together with the team that has organized all Kraichgau races up until today, we are looking forward to making the race and the region known in all of Europe. At the same time, we will focus on keeping its local character and respect its heritage and tradition,” said Thomas Dieckhoff, CEO IRONMAN Europe, Middle East and Africa.

To celebrate the inaugural race athletes will enjoy these benefits unique to any European IRONMAN 70.3 race:
  • 30 qualification slots for the 2015 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
  • 100 qualification slots for the 2015 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria
  • guaranteed priority entry into the 2015 IRONMAN Austria, or the 2015 IRONMAN European Championship Frankfurt or the 2015 KMD IRONMAN Copenhagen
“We are thankful to for the support of the two largest existing sponsors, the Sparkasse Kraichgau and KraichgauEnergie and we are delighted they support the direction we are taking with this race,” Dieckhoff adds.

FOSTERING THE SPORT
It's a dream come true for Bjoern Steinmetz who co-founded the race: “I am extremely proud of how we started out with the idea of a small race which has now become a triathlon festival. It’s been thrilling watching the race grow and we are so excited that we will now award slots for both the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship triathlons.”
  
The Kraichgau Triathlon-Festival was operated under the licensed name “Challenge”. Challenge, grantor of the license, terminated the license contract July 30th, 2014 after the Kraichgau Sports Promotion UG was acquired by the IRONMAN Germany GmbH in October 2013.

“The Kraichgau Triathlon-Festival is the original race and it’s always been our goal to create a perfect blend of elite athletes and amateurs while establishing the race as an event where everyone – age-groupers, short and sprint distance athletes as well as kids – can enjoy our beautiful sport. This remains our promise for the future. Triathlon has found a perfect ground unlike any other in Germany to grow here. Athletes like Thomas Hellriegel and Sebastian Kienle are known world-wide. The success is owed to the local team and hundreds of volunteers. We are looking forward to an amazing future,” adds Steinmetz.


Registration for the race is open now at www.ironman.com/kraichgau70.3