Following the announcement by IRONMAN that Busselton will play host to IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia in conjunction with IRONMAN Western Australia on the 4 December 2016, Triathlon WA would like to confirm that

SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton will continue to be held in May as part of the SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon which is owned and managed by Triathlon WA. In 2017 the Festival will be held from 5 – 7 May with SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton taking place on Sunday 7 May.

“As the largest IRONMAN 70.3 event in the southern hemisphere, attracting elite and age group athletes from around the world and with a scenic backdrop set to rival any other on the calendar, SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton will continue to be one of the most sought after IRONMAN 70.3 events on the global circuit” said Peter Minchin, Executive Director, Triathlon WA. ‘This race continues as one of the few sell out IRONMAN 70.3 events in the region and anyone wanting to race should be ready to get in quick when entries open in October’.

Triathlon WA, as a not-for-profit organisation, is proud to deliver SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton, which also serves as the Triathlon WA State Long Course Championships. 2017 will be the 33rd edition of the event and will enjoy its 16th year located in Busselton. Management of the event plays a vital role in allowing TWA to service over 3,000 members and 20 affiliated clubs and promote and grow the sport throughout WA with any profits from the event invested into the development of the sport in Western Australia.

The continued success of the sell-out, iconic event is built off the incredible support from the WA Triathlon community, our key partners Healthway, Tourism WA and the City of Busselton, our community partners and the local community, for which TWA are greatly appreciative.

In 2017, SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton has 30 qualifying spots for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Chatanooga, Tennesee, USA. The event is also a Triathlon Australia World Qualifying Event for the 2017 ITU Long Course World Championships being held in Penticton, Canada.

“The addition of an IRONMAN 70.3 distance event to IRONMAN Western Australia in December further positions Busselton as the home of long course racing in WA and provides another opportunity for athletes and their supporters to experience everything great that Busselton and the SouthWest has to offer”, Mr Minchin said.

Registration for IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton will open at 9am, Tuesday 18th October. For further details, visit www.busseltonfestivaloftriathlon.com.au, or contact Triathlon WA on 08 9443 9778

SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton Fast Facts:

• The 2017 SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon incorporating SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton will be held from 5 – 7 May 2017. The event is owned and managed by Triathlon WA.
• SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton Consists of a 1.9km swim, 90.1km bike and 21.1km run
• Total distance equals 70.3 miles
• It’s the largest event of its type in Southern Hemisphere
• The event has a professional prize purse of US$25,000
• 2016 was a sell-out event
• The Busselton male course record is 3hr 42m and 59 secs, by Craig Alexander in 2016. The female record is held by Annabel Luxford 4hr 12m and 33 secs.
• The race history dates back to 1983 as the Triathlon WA State Long Course Championships and has been held in Busselton since 2002.
• The SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon has grown into a world class weekend festival of multi-sport with something for everyone with an open water swim, Health & Lifestyle Expo, Kids triathlon and fun run.