Morocco to host its first Ironman 70.3
The new 70.3 race is to take place on October 27 2019, and athletes will take in many of the famous monuments and landmarks historic Marrakech is famous for, including the Medina of Marrakech, the Bahia Palace, the Madrasa, the Koutoubia Mosque and Minaret, the Jemaa el-Fnaa Square and the Majorelle Garden.
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“It is a dream come true that the iconic and internationally acclaimed competition, the Ironman 70.3 triathlon, will be held for the first time in the Maghreb by Morocco,” said Simo Azelarab, President of NAPECO and event organiser. “This event is sure to attract athletes from across the globe and will inspire Moroccan athletes to compete in one of the most personally-satisfying endurance challenges in the world.”
The triathletes will begin their race with a single-loop 1.2-mile (1.9 km) swim in Lake Lalla Takerkoust, before embarking on the 56-mile (90 km) cycling course, which winds through the Berber village of Tahanaout and the green meadows of the Ourika Valley with the snow-capped Atlas Mountain peaks as a backdrop. The two-loop 13.1-mile (21 km) run takes place in the heart of the Red City where athletes will pass historical monuments such as the Koutoubia Mosque and Minaret.
The race concludes in the iconic Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, providing a never-to-be-forgotten finish for those racing in Marrakech.
“Marrakech is one of Morocco’s most memorable experiences. It shines by its exceptional cultural and natural heritage,” added Azelarab. “Visitors can either immerse themselves in the history of this city through its various monuments, palaces, museums and wonderful gardens or discover its various avant-garde and cosmopolitan places. October in Marrakech is also a month of blissful equilibrium after the heat of the summer, leaving idyllic racing conditions for the athletes.”
The Ironman 70.3 Marrakech triathlon will offer 30 age-group qualifying slots for the 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Taupō, New Zealand taking place on November 28-29, 2020.
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