By Manzi Eric

IRONMAN announced today that it will add a brandnew event to its 2022 race calendar with the IRONMAN® 70.3® Rwanda in Africa. The inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Rwanda triathlon will take place on Sunday, August 14, 2022. General Registration will open on Tuesday, February 01, 2022. Tampa / London / Rubavu (January 20, 2022).

“Rwanda becomes the fourth country in Africa to host an IRONMAN 70.3 event,” said Thomas Veje Olsen, Managing Director of the IRONMAN Group in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. ‘’We know from our work in South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt that there is a huge appetite for endurance sports on the African continent, and we are excited to add IRONMAN 70.3 Rwanda to our race calendar. We look forward to putting this unique region on display, and athletes and travelling spectators have so much to look forward to when visiting Rubavu in Rwanda.”

Known for its stunning scenery and warm friendly people, Rwanda offers unique experiences for visitors. Rwanda is one of the safest countries in Africa and with its incredible biodiversity, including wildlife living on the slopes of dormant volcanoes, mountainous rainforests, magnificent gorillas and scenic plains, athletes will enjoy an adventurous experience like none other. The event host city, Gisenyi, situated in Rubavu, is a waterfront town on the shores of Lake Kivu, an hour away from the Volcanoes National Park. Rubavu has sandy beaches, warm, clean water, and an easy-going tropical character. It is a great place to unwind and soak up the tranquil lakeside vibe.

“We are pleased to see high profile events such as IRONMAN choosing Rwanda as their preferred destination. This fits our aspiration to become a leading sports hub in Africa. Rwanda will provide all the necessary support to ensure IRONMAN 70.3 in the scenic city of Rubavu is a resounding success,” said Aurore Mimosa, Minister of Sports, Government of Rwanda.

Clare Akamanzi, Rwanda Development Board’s CEO, added "Rwandans are passionate about sports and the country is quickly becoming one of Africa's leading destinations for global sporting events. That's why we are so excited to host IRONMAN for the very first time. Athletes and visitors to Rwanda can expect warm hospitality, spectacular scenery, unique wildlife encounters as well as safe and seamless experiences thanks to robust COVID-19 prevention measures. We invite the world to join us in the lakeside city of Rubavu for IRONMAN 70.3, and experience all Rwanda has to offer."

Athletes participating in IRONMAN 70.3 Rwanda will take on a 1.9km swim at the waterfront of Gisenyi in Lake Kivu, one of the African Great Lakes. Lake Kivu, which lies just south of the equator, lies at an altitude of 1463 metres above sea level. Athletes will then take on a 90km bike course which takes them out and back through rural Rwanda towards Mount Karisimbi, situated in the Volcanoes National Park, the home to many of the world's remaining mountain gorillas. Lastly, the multi-lap 21.1km run course spans the shoreline of Lake Kivu along the Rubona peninsula with beautiful vistas of the shoreline.

Serge Pereira, Founder of Global Events Africa, concluded "When selecting the next destination for IRONMAN, Rwanda quickly rose to the top of the list due to its strong track record of hosting international sporting events, ease of doing business and incredible tourism attractions. We have no doubt that IRONMAN athletes will be blown away by the experience in Rwanda, a country that is one of the most beautiful, welcoming and safest places in the world. We look forward to working with the Government of Rwanda to make IRONMAN 70.3 a great success."

IRONMAN 70.3. Rwanda will offer 30 qualifying slots to the 2023 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship taking place in Lahti, Finland on August 26 – 27, 2023.

For more information on IRONMAN 70.3. Rwanda, please visit https://www.ironman.com/im703rwanda. Athlete enquiries can be directed to rwanda70.3@ironman.com.

For more information on the IRONMAN® brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com.