Taupō to host 2020 Ironman World Championship

Ironman athletes will again line up on the shores of Lake Taupō in 2022. Photo / Tim Bardsley-Smith

Taupō has secured the right to host the 2022 Ironman 70.3 World Championship.

The a two-day event will be held December 10 to 11, 2022.

Taupō was originally set to host the 2020 edition of the Ironman 70.3 World Championship from November 28 to 29, prior to cancellation due to the ongoing and widespread impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2022 date means that the world's top Ironman 70.3 athletes will still be able to enjoy a world championship experience in a unique destination that has embraced Ironman Group events for more than 20 years.

"While it was disappointing to have to cancel the 2020 edition, it's great news for our athletes around the world, those in New Zealand, and the wider Taupō community, that we've been able to secure this magical location for a world championship event in 2022," Ironman Group cheif executive and president Andrew Messick said.

"Taupō is an iconic Ironman destination and we look forward to having the best triathletes in the world head to New Zealand for what will be a week-long celebration of triathlon."

The 2022 championship will see athletes take to the beautiful waters of Lake Taupō for the swim leg, before a single-loop bike course and a final run course that winds its way around the waterfront.

Taupō District mayor David Trewavas said: "We are ecstatic that, as the home of Ironman in New Zealand, we have been able to work with Ironman to secure the event for 2022.

"We had already laid some solid foundations in preparing to host the world's top triathletes and this additional time will allow us to offer an extremely polished event that will showcase both the Taupō District and New Zealand to the rest of the world."

Ironman Group World Championship Events senior vice president Diana Bertsch said: "While it may be two years later than originally planned, we are thrilled to be able to bring the Ironman 70.3 World Championship to Taupō and can't wait to continue our work with the great team there to put on an incredible event."

"Taupō is an amazing location and natural fit for an event of this magnitude. New Zealand's historical, cultural and familial ties to Hawaii are significant and further connect our world championship events."

With the cancellation of the 2020 edition of the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, St. George, Utah, USA becomes the next stop from September 17 to 18, 2021, before heading to New Zealand in December of 2022.

The previously announced 2022 Ironman 70.3 World Championship finalist cities of Klagenfurt, Austria and Lahti, Finland will now carry forward to 2023 with an announcement of the selected destination forthcoming.

Further updates can be found at www.ironman.com/im703-world-championship.