Mittwoch, 13. März 2019

Mike Reily presents his book: Finding My Voice. Tales from Ironman, the World's Greatest Endurance Event

Mike Reilly's “Finding My Voice: Tales from Ironman, the World's Greatest Endurance Event” isn't a sports record book, it isn't a professional athletes shadowing book. It's all of them but mostly a book with 30+ years experience and memories from the finishline of various long and shorter distance triathlon races around the world.
Mike Reilly digged from more than 30 years of memories many storues from the finish lines around the globe and from IRONMAN Hawaii, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Photo: Steeplechase Entertainment Corporation

Mike the “Voice of IRONMAN” Reilly was finish line speaker of over 180 IRONMAN events, including 30 straight years of the World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. More than 350,000 athletes have heard his iconic pronouncement, “You are an IRONMAN!” as they crossed the finish line. Now it's time to listen to all the great stories and memories Mike shares with written text and great photos. Don#t have a present for a passionate athlete yet? Now you might have.

What athletes have to say:
“Every day for six months of training before Kona, as I visualized crossing the finish line, I didn't see an image, I just heard the sound of Mike Reilly's voice declaring, 'Sean Astin, you are an IRONMAN!' Just the thought of the sound of Mike's voice, saying those words, in that way, at that time, was the beacon that kept me going.” Sean Astin, actor-producer-director 
“Whether it's on race day or getting to the start line, nobody finishes an IRONMAN without a personal struggle. Mike Reilly does a masterful job of showing us why those struggles are so worth it in the end.” Mirinda Carfrae, 3 x IRONMAN world champion 
“As I hit the top of the finish ramp I heard that amazing voice and those unbelievable words, 'Hines Ward...you are an IRONMAN!' Like the touchdown pass I caught to win the 2005 Super Bowl, hearing Mike Reilly declare me an IRONMAN was one of the greatest moments of my life.” Hines Ward, Super Bowl XL MVP 
“No one knows the Ironman spirit better than Mike Reilly, having witnessed firsthand countless athletes come through the finish line. This is a passionate and inspiring book that will mark the beginning of the journey for tens of thousands more.” Lionel Sanders, 2017 ITU world championship, 4 x IRONMAN champion 
“The voice and passion of Mike Reilly bringing you home lifts you up and fulfills dreams for a lifetime. You'll love discovering what's behind that passion in this book.” Dave McGillivray, Boston Marathon Race Director/DMSE Sports
  1. Order on Amazon 

Donnerstag, 17. Januar 2019

China's Wanda files for U.S. IPO of sports unit including WTC's IRONMAN series to raise up to $500 million: sources

According to report by Reuters (by Kane Wu, Julia Fioretti, Julie Zhu, Joshua Franklin, Julia Fioretti, Simon Cameron-Moore) China's Dalian Wanda Group files just 4 years after the acquisiation of World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) in 2015 for U.S. IPO of sports unit including WTC's IRONMAN series to raise up to $500 million.[1] This would be the long expected step towards public trading of iconic races like IRONMAN Hawaii Triathlon on the Big Island of Hawaii.[2]:

Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group has filed confidentially for a U.S. initial public offering of its sports unit that could fetch up to $500 million, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter. 
The company made the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the listing, which could happen in the first half of this year, the sources said.
The IPO could raise between $300 million and $500 million, the people said, though one cautioned that $500 million might be high. 
A Wanda spokesman did not provide any immediate comment. 
Wanda’s sprawling business empire ranges from real estate to sport to cinemas, but it has been rattled in the past years by a government-led crackdown on overseas deals and high leverage. 
The company owned by Wang Jianlin, one of China’s richest men, has since started offloading domestic and overseas holdings, including stakes in cinema operator AMC Entertainment and Spanish soccer club Atletico Madrid and a handful of property developments. 
Other Chinese conglomerates such as HNA group and Fosun International (0656.HK) have also faced government pressure to cut down on what Beijing has termed irrational overseas deals. 
An IPO of Wanda’s sports assets would include Infront Sports & Media AG, a Swiss sports marketing company and World Triathlon Corp, the organizer and promoter of the Ironman race, three sources previously told Reuters. 
The two were acquired in 2015 for $1.2 billion and $650 million respectively. Wanda, while preparing the IPO, had also received offers for the businesses from a number of private equity firms, Reuters reported. 
Citigroup (C.N), Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) and Morgan Stanley (MS.N) are working on the deal, the sources said. Citigroup and Deutsche Bank declined to comment. Morgan Stanley did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 
Chinese companies have dominated the ranks of those looking to go public worldwide, raising $58.2 billion in IPOs last year, accounting for 29 percent of global issuers, according to Refinitiv data. 
They have also been very active in U.S. listings, raising $9.1 billion last year, the highest level since 2014, Refinitiv data showed.


  1. China's Wanda files for U.S. IPO of sports unit to raise up to $500 million: sources 
  2. Bulle oder Bär - kommt ein Initial Public Offering im Ironman Triathlon?