IRONMAN announced that it will add two brand-new events to its 2022 race calendar with the introduction of the Plava Laguna IRONMAN® 70.3® Poreč, Istria triathlon in Croatia and IRONMAN® 70.3® Tangier triathlon in Morocco.
“Croatia and Morocco are the perfect race destinations for any triathlete looking to experience spectacular locations and unique local culture while racing. Our partners in Croatia and Morocco have established a great community of athletes over the last years and we look forward to seeing more athletes experiencing IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon racing in Poreč, Istria-Croatia and Tangier thanks to the addition of these two races on the circuit,” said Thomas Veje Olson, Managing Director for the IRONMAN Group in Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
Poreč, a popular summer resort on the coast of the Istrian Peninsula in western Croatia, has successfully hosted the Olympic distance Plava Laguna 5150 Poreč triathlon for the last two years, creating a natural transition into the new IRONMAN 70.3 event. The introduction of the Plava Laguna IRONMAN 70.3 Poreč, Istria-Croatia will see athletes taking on a 1.9km swim in the crystal-clear waters around the peninsula at Zelena Resort, followed by a 90km bike course that takes athletes through the famous Truffle Forest around the city of Livade and Motovun. Lastly, athletes will take on a 21.1km run along the Poreč coastline until they reach the red carpet of the finish line.
“We are very excited to announce Plava Laguna IRONMAN 70.3. Poreč, Istria-Croatia for 2022,” said Goran Vrus, Race Director of Plava Laguna IRONMAN 70.3. Poreč,Istria-Croatia. “Poreč, Istria and Croatia are beautiful locations for swimming, cycling, and running along the scenery of the old town, vineyards and olive groves and we can’t wait to welcome athletes for a memorable race experience”.
The Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, Kristjan Staničić, also noted the importance of the arrival of such branded sports events in Croatia. "Continuous promotion and positioning of Croatia as a quality, safe and well-prepared destination in today's circumstances is a basic prerequisite for the successful attraction of guests and the realization of tourist traffic. Congratulations to Poreč and Istria, hosting such a prestigious and internationally recognized race is a great thing for Croatia. This will give our country popularity, additional visibility, but also the quality of the tourist offer, which makes events like this richer and more attractive”, said Staničić.
"It is great that in 2022 Croatia will be hosting another great event. This speaks of the attractiveness of Croatia as a tourist destination, especially in the period outside the main tourist season, which we are constantly working on. Sports tourism is great for extending the tourist season, with additional promotion of Croatia through the Ironman brand. We are glad that Croatia succeeded and that big brands recognize us a safe tourist destination", concluded the Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac.
Plava Laguna IRONMAN 70.3. Poreč, Istria-Croatia will offer qualifying slots to the 2023 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship taking place in Lahti, Finland on August 26 – 27, 2023. General Registration for the Croatian event will open on Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
For more information on Plava Laguna IRONMAN 70.3. Poreč,Istria-Croatia please visit www.ironman.com/im703-croatia.
