Unlike the professionals who now have the Kona Pro Ranking system for their opportunity to qualify for racing in the Ironman World Championship race. Age groupers get their chance via qualifying slots offered mainly at Ironman events around the world. What some age groupers don't know is that some Ironman 70.3 triathlon races offer qualifying slots for Kona. Usually the number of slots at these events is smaller than on would see being offered at a regular Ironman event.
Just because the event is half the distance doesn't mean is easier to get a slot to the big dance. By far the competition for these slots is fierce and advantageous. Half the distance, half the recovery time, double the challenge.
So far for the 2012 Ironman World Championship race, the WTC has 6 Ironman 70.3 events offering slots to Kona:
- • Ironman 70.3 Phuket (December 4, 2011) - 30
- • Ironman 70.3 St. Croix (May 6, 2012) - 30
- • Ironman 70.3 Hawaii (June 2, 2012) - 28
- • Ironman 70.3 Eagleman (June 10, 2012) - 30
- • Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake (June 24, 2012) - 30
- • Ironman 70.3 Japan (June 24, 2012) - 30
The Ironman 70.3 Philippines race had slots last year. Those have since been removed. It seems that they might have be re-allocated with the announcement that Ironman 70.3 Japan will now have slots for Kona.
Read more info at www.ironmanworldchampionship.com/qualification/
Ironman 70.3 Centrair Tokoname Japan Offers Kona Slots
World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) today announced that general entry registration for the third annual Ironman 70.3 Centrair Tokoname Japan will open on Jan. 31, 2012. With this being the only Ironman World Championship qualifier in the region, race organizers have added additional entries; however, as in previous years, a sell-out is anticipated within just a few hours.
Scheduled for June 24, 2012, Lixil Ironman 70.3 Centrair Tokoname Japan will be staged in and around the Centrair International Airport, providing easy access to the race for visitors travelling from across the globe with direct flights from Singapore, Frankfurt and Detroit. Athletes will begin the race with a point-to-point swim at Ise Bay in the Pacific Ocean. The 1.5-loop bike course will see some changes in 2012, leading to a smoother and faster route through Tokoname city. The final leg of the course features a spectator friendly one-loop run with athletes finishing on the beach.
The event is one of nearly 60 in the global Ironman 70.3 Series, offering 25 age group qualifying slots for the 2012 Ironman World Championship 70.3, to be held on Sept. 9, 2012, at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nev. The event date was moved earlier in the season to accommodate the addition of 30 coveted age group qualifying slots to the 2012 Ironman World Championship, scheduled for Oct. 13, 2012, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. These slots will give Asia-Pacific athletes additional opportunities to make it to the starting line on Ali'i Drive in Kona. Professional athletes will be competing for a prize purse of $15,000.
For additional information on Lixil Ironman 70.3 Centrair Tokoname or to register for the 2012 race, please visit www.ironman703.jp/e/ (English) or www.ironman703.jp (Japanese).
