Asia’s number one Ironman 70.3 race continues to set the standard for international triathlon in Singapore…
(Singapore, 6 September) The debut of the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore Triathlon last year was widely regarded as a roaring success, attracting a world-class field including many of the world’s elite triathletes and around 1300 athletes in total.
It was arguably the most highly–anticipated endurance race of 2007, as it was the first 70.3 event to be held in Asia – and the 1300 participants included more than 500 overseas competitors – making it the biggest ever Ironman-branded event on the Asian continent.
After such a stellar first year, one would imagine that it would be hard to top it off any further, especially considering the growth of Ironman 70.3 racing globally has seen ten more races established since 2007, but that is exactly what the latest edition of the event has done!
With organisers Hi-Tri (Singapore) Pte Ltd upping the total prize purse to a world record equalling USD$50,000, a change of location from last year’s Marina Bay floating platform to Playground @ East Coast, and the introduction of the first-ever all-expressway bike route in Singapore, the sophomore year of the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore to be held this weekend (7 September 2008) has once again delivered a world class event that will again promote Singapore as a champion in the world of sports organisation.
When registration closed on 22 August, more than 1400-plus triathletes had put their names down for the gruelling race, which requires participants to swim 1.9km in open water, ride 90.1km on a bike route stretching from one end of the island to the other and back three times, before ending with a 20.1km run (the distance makes up 70.3 miles, hence the name).
Entries for the 2008 edition of the Aviva Ironman 70.3 confirm the event as a major player in the Ironman 70.3 world qualifying series and now with a total of 32 Ironman 70.3 races around the world, all in competition to Singapore, the local event has retained its position as the number one in Asia and is prominent on the world stage also!
The latest figures go a long way to affirming the sentiments among many of the top athletes that the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore is an event not to be missed on the Ironman circuit, especially since it is the only race to be held entirely within the confines of a major city, anywhere in the world.
Adrian Mok, Hi-Tri’s Managing Director expects the event to set a new record next year, when the event is set to be move dates to avoid clashing with other major sporting events at the tail end of the year, like the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, which will make its debut in September this year.
“The general feeling is that there are too many endurance races packed too close together in the latter half of the year,” he added. “With the world’s first night race also happening in September, the tail end of the local sporting calendar is getting pretty packed.
“We’ll announce the new time and date for the race at the Presentation Party for this year’s race at playground @ Big Splash Sunday evening immediately after the event.“
“We believe the move will attract more international entries and an even bigger number of local participants next year, to cement the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore’s status as Asia’s foremost Ironman-branded event.”
Registration for next year’s event will open immediately, the day after the race this year on 8 September.
The 2008 event features athletes representing 51 countries across the globe, with their ages ranging from 19 to 74! Add in the introduction of the “Industry Challenge” for individuals, the “Corporate Team Challenge” to the existing but expanded “CEO Challenge”, and here is a race for just about everyone.
Organisers expect the new route featuring the super all-expressway high-speed bike ride and shady beachfront run, to be a huge hit with participants. The Playground @ Big Splash will also be transformed to an athlete’s village, which will also hold the post-race awards dinner featuring a fireworks display to wind up the event.
Said Shawn Meadows, CEO of Aviva Singapore, Hong Kong and the Middle East: “I am not at all surprised by the huge number of registrations, as the organisers have worked hard to attract aspiring Ironman participants locally through the introduction of the new Industry and Corporate Team Challenges.
“Aviva is proud to be associated with this excellent event, which epitomizes the overcoming of life’s toughest adversities, which is what we are trying to do for our clients as well.”
The front end of the 2008 field is a star studded as 2007, with the defending champions both electing to defend their titles against a stellar cast.
Headlining the star-cast of elites this year is none other than 2007 Men’s Elite champion, Brazil’s Reinaldo Colucci, coming off the back of his race in Beijing for the Olympics, and he’s one of three Olympians to be racing this year.
The 2007 Women’s Elite Champion, Belinda Granger, who has been in absolutely stunning form this year is also defending her title too. So far this year, she has already amassed titles from the Ironman Malaysia, Ironman China and more recently, Ironman Canada and Ironman 70.3 Antwerp.
Other top women this year are multi Ironman winners, New Zealand’s Gina Ferguson, Japan’s Naomi Imaizum and Australia’s Rebekah keat who between them have eight Ironman titles!
Amongst the favourites in the ultra strong men’s field is New Zealander Terrenzo Bozzone, a three time Ironman 70.3 winner, and countryman, Bryan Rhodes who a fortnight ago won Ironman Canada to record his fourth Ironman win!.
But perhaps the most outstanding entries in the Men’s fields are a couple of Ironman 70.3 rookies. Three times World Champion, two times Olympian and Commonwealth Games team member, Australian Peter Robertson has chosen the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore in which to make his world Ironman 70.3 debut, and he’s openly looking at qualifying here for a chance to take on the world in the Foster Grants Ironman World Championship 70.3.
Alongside Robertson is his Team HiPer3 teammate, Simon Thompson, a fellow Aussie Olympian and former National LD Champion, also taking on the Ironman 70.3 challenge and the dynamix duo are joined by SuperFish, Peter Jacobs who is also on track for his first major international victory!
The clash of the super teams, Team TBB with Colucci and Granger, and Team HiPer3 with Robertson, Thompson, Jacobs, Aaron Farlow, Ryan O’Neill, Anel Stewart and Melissa Vanderwater is set to be a highlight of Sunday’s racing!
Australia’s Luke McKenzie, winner of the 2008 Ironman Japan, Craig McKenzie (no relation) and Germany’s Uwe Widmann, are amongst other big names in the world of triathlon who will all be coming to town.
Mr Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Patron for the event, who is an avid Ironman himself, is optimistic that the event will grow from strength to strength with each passing year.
He said: “The first two editions of the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore have already established the race as the premier 70.3 event in Asia. The world-class elite fields over the past two years have indicated that Singapore is now regarded as a world-class sporting locale. I am sure that by moving the event, the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore can only get bigger and better, as most of the endurance races locally tend to be in the latter half of the year at the moment.”
Other than the largest prize purse for a Half-Ironman event anywhere in the world, also up for grabs at this year’s Aviva event are 75 qualifying slots for the Foster Grants Ironman 70.3 World Championships to be held in Clearwater, Florida later this year, with the Singapore event one of 32 qualifying races now held around the world for the World Championships.
More event information can be found at the official Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore Triathlon website, www.ironman703singapore.com.
The Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore 2008 is part of WaterFest Singapore 2008.
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