The IronKids, regarded as the local junior version of the Ironman, will now be a swim-run event instead of triathlon, ensuring a wide-open battle for supremacy among the future of the sport when it is held Saturday at Azuela Cove in Davao City.
Dubbed as the Alaska Fortified IronKids Swim-Run race, the event will still feature the sport’s regular campaigners in the 6-to-14 years old bracket plus a slew of new faces eager to steal the spotlight from the fancied bets in the event firing off at 5 a.m.
While the IronGirl on Friday is a virtual fun run, keen competition is seen in IronKids, staged to promote a well-balanced lifestyle for kids and at the same time serves as venue for family bonding. It is also held to help kids develop the values of discipline, hard work, integrity and determination through a series of races.
The twin events serve as fitting appetizers to the second Ironman 70.3 Davao, headlined by back-to-back title seeking Mauricio Mendez and Czech Radka Kahlefeldt along with Aussies Tim Reed, Sam Betten, Tim Van Berkel, David Mainwaring, Matt Lewis and Fraser Walsh.
Meanwhile, out to foil Kahlefeldt’s repeat bid in the premier 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run event are regular PH campaigners Caroline Steffen of Switzerland, Guam’s Manami Iijima and Kirra Seidel and Lisa Tyack of Australia.
Over 2,200 triathletes have confirmed participation in the event organized and conducted by Sunrise Events, Inc., which features individual and relay competitions with bets coming from the United Arab Emirates, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Mexico, Ukraine, India, Malaysia, Qatar, the US, Belgium, Spain, Italy, New Caledonia, Singapore, South Africa, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, Korean, Norway, Thailand, Switzerland, Greece, Kuwait, New Zealand, Turkey, China, Guam, Mexico, Panama and Taiwan.
For details, visit the event’s website at www.ironman.com/davao703.
Backers of the event are title sponsor Alveo, an AyalaLand company, presentor Petron, venue hosts Lungsod ng Dabaw, Azuela Cove and the Enderun Tent, bike course partners Davao del Norte, Panabo, Tagum and Carmen, official courier and logistics partner 2Go Express, official swim cap TYR, official energy gel GU, official nutrition Vitargo, official eyewear Rudy Project, and Aboitiz Power, Davao Light, David’s Salon, Davao Metro Shuttle, Prudential Guarantee, and media partners ONE Sports on Cignal, the Philippine Star, Trilife, AsiaTri.com and Finisher Pix.
