General News
11 August, 2022
More Chances To Qualify World Championship At Ironman Cairns
ATHLETES competing at the Cairns Airport IRONMAN Asia-Pacific Championship Cairns will have more chances to race at the prestigious VinFast IRONMAN World Championship following the announcement of additional qualifying slots for the 2023 event.
The 2023 IRONMAN Cairns event on Sunday, June 18, will feature more IRONMAN World Championship qualification slots than ever before, with 100 available, plus an extra 65 on offer just for women.
The news follows the announcement that the 2023 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, will be a two-day event, with racing taking place on October 12 and 14, 2023.
The two-day format will debut this October and be continued in 2023, with a dedicated day of racing for the women’s field on Thursday and the men’s field on Saturday, allowing for full focus and coverage on each race and its competitors like never before.
Dedicated female and male race days will also bring about increased qualifying opportunities, including expanded slot allocations at regional championships and increased opportunities for women at 17 IRONMAN triathlons from around the world, designated as Women For Tri events.
The Women For Tri designated events will further grow participation and celebrate women in the sport while creating more than 1,200 additional opportunities to qualify for the biggest stage in the sport – The IRONMAN World Championship.
Geoff Meyer, Managing Director of Oceania for The IRONMAN Group, welcomed the news of the additional IRONMAN World Championship qualification slots at IRONMAN Cairns.
“We’re thrilled with the news that IRONMAN Cairns will have more IRONMAN World Championship slots than ever before for the 2023 event,” Mr Meyer said.
“The IRONMAN World Championship is the pinnacle of the sport and remains a driving factor for so many athletes who train and race for years for their shot at racing in Kona.
“To have 100 slots on offer, plus an additional 65 for women, at the 2023 IRONMAN Cairns is great and will further add to what is already an incredible week in Tropical North Queensland,” he said.
While the number of athletes racing in IRONMAN events each year has increased considerably over the last 20 years, the number of athletes qualifying for the IRONMAN World Championship has remained relatively flat.
With a two-day format, top age groupers deserving a chance to compete on the world’s stage will now have additional opportunities to qualify.
As one of the most sought-after experiences in mass participation sport, those who have made it to the IRONMAN World Championship continue to be among the world’s elite, equating to 0.00006% of the world’s population.
For more information on the Cairns Airport IRONMAN Asia-Pacific Championship Cairns, visit: https://www.ironman.com/im-cairns
