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- Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship -

Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship 2011 sold out
After the successful event on July 4 the organizer would like to thank all athletes, sponsors, partners and volunteers who helped make the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship 2010 a success.
Kai Walter (race director and managing director IRONMAN European Headquarters): “The numerous volunteers have proven once again to be an essential part of the IRONMAN family. The whole IRONMAN team would like to thank the volunteers for their great performance on the longest day of the year.”

Only a few hours after opening registration for the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship on July 24, 2011 the race is already sold out. At the ten-year anniversary race over 2,300 athletes from 55 nations will once again tackle the challenge of the 3.8 k swim, 180 k bike and 42.2 k run.

- Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship -

Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship 2010
Andreas Raelert and Sandra Wallenhorst win in the heat of Frankfurt.

Hessen´s Prime Minister Roland Koch opened the “longest day of the year” for the first wave with the 42 professional competitors and 211 age group athletes at 6:45 AM. The main field with 2.117 athletes started at 7 am to tackle the challenge of the 3,8 k swim, 180 k bike and finally the marathon run of 42,2 k.

Since the inaugural race in 2002, the IRONMAN European Champion was crowned for the fifth time. The midsummer temperatures created a Hawaii feeling not only among the athletes but also among the over 500.000 spectators On the race course. In October the IRONMAN world champion will be crowned on the Pacific island of Hawaii.

The “Römerberg” boiled when Andreas Raelert (Rostock) ran over the finish line after 8:05:16 hours, securing the title of the IRONMAN European Champion. About 5 minutes later the Champion of 2009 Timo Bracht (Eberbach) crossed the finish line after 8:10:22. The podium was completed by the Australian, Chris Mc Cormack, who finished in 8:14:43 hours.

The IRONMAN European Champion 2009 Sandra Wallenhorst (Hannover) defended her title by winning the race in the excellent time of 9:04:28. Second place went to the young Swiss competitor Caroline Steffen in 9:06:43 hours. Finishing third place was a very exhausted Yvonne van Vlerken (Vice Champion of 2009) from Holland crossing the finish line after 9:10:22 hours.

Kai Walter (Managing director IRONMAN European Headquarters): “The IRONMAN is a great event for Frankfurt and its environment. You can tell by the excitement of the athletes, the masses of people on the course and the supporting partners that the IRONMAN has arrived in the region.”




- Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship -

IRONMAN European Headquarters and Thomas Cook announce new IRONMAN 70.3 event
Frankfurt, June 30, 2010 –
On May 14, 2011 the inaugural Thomas Cook IRONMAN 70.3 Mallorca will take place on Mallorca.
The island of Mallorca, known as a training paradise to many cyclists and triathletes, will host the qualifying race for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship for the first time.
The host city of Alcudia is located in the north of the island and offers ideal conditions for the race covering the distances of 1.9 k swim, 90 k bike and 21.1 k run.
At the first race of the European IRONMAN 70.3 race season, the athletes can test their form in mild temperatures.

Kai Walter (Managing Director of IRONMAN European Headquarters): “We, together with our title sponsor and strong partner Thomas Cook, are looking forward to welcoming many athletes to the season kick-off on Mallorca. With the swim in the Mediterranean Sea, the beautiful landscape of the bike course and the spectator-friendly run course through the inner-city of Alcudia, the Thomas Cook IRONMAN 70.3 Mallorca offers ideal conditions for another highlight in the European IRONMAN 70.3 race calendar.”

Michael Tenzer (CEO Tourism, Thomas Cook AG): “Mallorca is and always will be one of the most popular travel destinations for German tourists in the Mediterranean Sea. We are glad to place another highlight with our IRONMAN 70.3 race. Our travel operator Neckermann Reisen is leading in the market with his catalogue for sports travel. The trend sport triathlon is perfect for our program and IRONMAN 70.3 is a top event, both for tourism and for sports.”

Opening of registration and race course maps of the Thomas Cook IRONMAN 70.3 Mallorca will be published in September. Please visit www.ironman703-mallorca.com for further information about the race.

- Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship -

Race week opens for the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship 2010
Frankfurt, June 30, 2010 –
Only a few days left till the starting signal of the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship on the July 4, 2010. With the 3.8k swim, 180 k bike and 42.2k run the IRONMAN European Championship is one of the toughest endurance races worldwide.
Starting at the “Langener Waldsee”, the race course leads through 3 administrative districts and 10 communes before the athletes change from their bike to the run course in the city of Frankfurt/Main.
22 pro men and 14 pro women will fight for the win and the title of the European Champion.

Not only the pro athletes will compete for the win and the prize money of UDS 100,000 overall. Over 2,300 amateur athletes from 55 nations will travel to the Rhein Main region to face the great challenge and to cross the finish line at the Roemerberg before the race cut-off at 10 PM. A total of 120 qualifying slots for the IRONMAN World Championship will be awarded to pro athletes and age-group athletes. More than 4,000 volunteers support the athletes during the “longest day of the year”.

The race week starts off with the IRONMAN NightRun. The IRONMAN NightRun (3 x 5k relay), presented by the Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen, attracts over 1,500 athletes to the charity run on the banks of the Main. All proceeds from the entry fees will be donated to the foundation Sporthilfe Hessen.

“We are very proud of the fact that numerous top athletes from all over the world have chosen to race in Frankfurt. The IRONMAN in Frankfurt has established itself as a fixed date in the race calendar of many athletes. The event is a great thing for the state of Hesse”, says Volker Bouffier (Minister of the Interior and Sports of the State of Hesse). “My thanks to the organization staff and the countless volunteers at this athletic top event. Without the volunteers the IRONMAN European Championship would not be possible.”

Herbert Hans Grüntker (chairman of the board, Frankfurter Sparkasse): “The Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship is as much part of Frankfurt as the Roemer and the famous skyline. We are proud to be title sponsor for the fifth time. I am personally looking forward to a day filled with unforgettable moments and emotions for athletes and spectators.”

Markus Frank (City councillor of Frankfurt): “The IRONMAN features several ingenious aspects: The athletes with their extraordinary accomplishments, the international flair in Frankfurt and the region together with the strong side effects on the hotel sector, the gastronomy and the retail industry. A welcome symbiosis between sports and economy.”

Kai Walter (Managing Director IRONMAN European Headquaters):”I am looking forward to all the international athletes and the atmosphere on the course and especially on the Roemerberg. The race promises to be a red-hot battle in all respects.”

The Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship will be broadcasted live by the Hessische Rundfunk from 10.30 AM to 4.30 PM. A summarized version follows at 7.30 PM in the Hessenschau.

For more information about the event please visit www.ironman.de or contact info@ironman.de.

- Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship -

Current facts and figures of the IRONMAN Germany in Frankfurt
TV- and public Infoscreens

• 31 Mio. viewers all in all, including News-TV and morning shows/“Breakfast TV“
• DSF and hr-fernsehen: more than 4 hours live pictures
• 5 accredited TV teams reported from the race course (including DSF, ARD/hr-fernsehen, RTL, rheinmain-tv)
(source: hr-fernsehen, DSF, Quattro Media)

Internet Coverage
• 14 mio. hits on the website www.ironmanlive.com (worldwide, on race day)
• 6,5 mio. hits on the website www.ironman.de (during race week)
• 25 mio hits on the website www.ironman.de (during the year)
(source: www.gohosting.de)


Printmedia

• 250 mio. total circulation of over 3.500 articles in the race week
• 300 mio. total circulation in the course of the year
(source: P.A.S.T. Medienanalyse)


Radio-Coverage

• 1.2 mio. listeners on hr3 on race day
• 150 trailers on hr3 ensured a high degree of awareness in the region
(source: Hessischer Rundfunk)


Webcam on „Römerberg“

• 170.000 visitors during race week
(source: mediomind)


General Data

• 500.000 spectators watched the race along the course
• 8.000 athletes participate at our events during the year: IRONMAN, IRONMAN 70.3, IRONKIDS, IRONMAN NightRun, IRONMAN TrainingsCamp
• Each year 2.600 to 4.200 athletes from over 55 nations compete at our events in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden
(source: Polizeipräsidium Frankfurt, DATASPORT)


Economic added value

• 18,7 mio. Euro overall, during race week
• 500 Euro expenditure per athlete during race week
• 400 Euro expenditure per accompanying person during race week
• 30 Euro expenditure per spectator on race day
• ca. 4 to 6 days sojourn per athlete and accompanying persons during race week
• ca. 3 to 5 family members and friends travel with the athletes
• 16.200 hotel room nights overall, during race week

(source: Bludau & Muhler Consulting)

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