IRONMAN 70.3 XIAMEN
Location Xiamen, China Date 12 November 2017 Back in 2016 and fresh from being bought by the Chinese conglomerate, Dalian Wanda, Ironman announced that their Ironman 70.3 races in China would all offer qualifying slots for the full Ironman World Championships showcase, held in Hawaii since 1978.
Although Ironman have offered Kona slots at 70.3 races before, it had never been on this level, with nearly 10% of entrants on the 2017 Ironman World Championship start line having qualified from a 70.3 race in China. Whatever you think about the move, the bid to lure athletes to China has worked and the races offer a unique opportunity to experience China.
Of the 70.3 races in China offering 30 Kona slots – Chongqing (24 Sept), Hefei (see below), Luizhou (14 April 2018) and Quijing (August 2018) – Ironman 70.3 Xiamen is arguably the pick of the bunch, set in the coastal tourist city that offers a mix of ancient and modern Chinese cultures.