Ironman Group has named Klagenfurt, Austria and Lahti, Finland as finalists to host the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship triathlon, which will rotate back to Europe after last playing host to the event in 2019.
The 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship will be a two-day event, a format that was first adopted in 2017 when the event was held in Chattanooga – with the professional women and age-group women racing on one day and the professional men and age-group men racing on the other.
Andrew Messick, President & Chief Executive Officer of IRONMAN said: “The evolution of the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship has been considerable and as we return to Europe in 2022, we have two locations in Lahti, Finland and Klagenfurt, Austria that have shown they deserve this opportunity to host the world’s best.
“Not only do these cities have the ability to provide our athletes extraordinary race experiences, venues and local culture, they are sure to attract athlete’s family and friends from around the world. Just as the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship showcases world-class competition, it is important that we continue to select venues from around the globe that meet the standards these top performers deserve. We look forward to the final process playing out as we determine who will be selected as the host city for the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship triathlon.”
Stefan Petschnig, Managing Director of EMEA for The IRONMAN Group said: “We are thrilled to welcome the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship back on European soil in 2022. Both, Lahti and Klagenfurt would be deserving of a World Championship event. They have shown outstanding commitment to host this unique two-day race and I would like to congratulate all involved on their respective bids and the high-quality events they have provided athletes both past and present.”
