Ironman 70.3 Panama Latin American Pro Championship

Ironman 70.3 Panama

World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) and BN Sports, LLC, today announced the addition of Ironman 70.3 Panama to its expanding event calendar in 2012. Ironman 70.3 Panama will take place on February 12, 2012, on the beautiful Isthmus of Panama and will serve as the Ironman 70.3 Latin American Pro Championship as well as a qualifier for the 2012 Ironman World Championship 70.3 at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nev.

"We are thrilled to launch the Latin American Pro Championship race with Ironman 70.3 Panama,” said Steve Meckfessel, chief operations officer of WTC. “Panama provides breathtaking natural and historic beauty, high profile race routes and easy accessibility from the U.S. and major international markets. Ironman 70.3 Panama will complement our existing events in the region, including 70.3 races in Miami, San Juan, Cancun and St. Croix.”

Athletes will swim 1.2 miles (1.9 km) in the Pacific Ocean at the entrance to the Panama Canal, one of “The Seven Wonders of the Modern World.” Participants will then bike 56 miles (90 km), first crossing the Bridge of the Americas, connecting Central and South America, en route to the Pan-American Highway. The 13.1 mile (21km), two-loop, run course will take athletes through the Amador Causeway, a major tourism area surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, where they can watch ships transit in and out of the Panama Canal while enjoying the beautiful view of the city.

"We are excited about the opportunity to host a world-class event of this magnitude in Panama and proud that Ironman felt our country was the perfect fit to host the Ironman 70.3 Latin American Pro Championship for the next three years,” said Jimmy Papadimitriu, Panama’s Minister of the Presidency. “We have a solid modern infrastructure and hotel capacity, and our geographic location serves as the perfect hub for the Americas to hold an event of this magnitude."

One of more than 50 events worldwide in the Ironman 70.3 Series, Ironman 70.3 Panama will offer a professional prize purse of $75,000 and a total of 35 age group qualifying slots for the 2012 Ironman World Championship 70.3. Registration for Ironman 70.3 Panama will open at noon EST today, and will be available through the event’s official website at www.ironmanpanama.com. A special early entry rate of $199 USD will be offered until Monday, May 16 at 11:59 p.m. EST

Athlete questions and media requests can be directed to BN Sports, LLC at info@bnsportsllc.com. Media may also contact WTC directly at Jessica@ironman.com or Shelby.Tuttle@ironman.com. Visit www.ironmanpanama.com for more information.

Originally from: http://ironman.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/new-event-will-serve-as-latin-american-pro-championship#ixzz1M9f99bQH