Posted: June 16, 2006

Triathlon: The IRONMAN France - Nice Triathlon in the starting blocks

In a few days the race week of the 2nd edition of the IRONMAN France will start. The IRONMAN energy will spread out in the entire City of Nice and its hinterland. A three disciplines sport version with a large way of mind. Ready, steady …

Go! For this unique king size triathlon in France! 1151 athletes are going to be confronted with the nicest of competitions, with an anthology of 49 nations. The proportion of female participants remains 9 % and in the last weeks, PRO participation augmented to 3,5 % (the average is rather around 2 %).

French athletes still represent the biggest group with more than 33 % of the participants. The seconds most represented nation is the United Kingdom with 15 % of the registered entrants, followed by Germany with 10 % of the athletes on the French Riviera. The United States send a deputation of 9 % of athletes. As to Italy and Switzerland, they represent 4 % of the total of the registered participants.

403 in total have chosen to make this second IRONMAN France in Nice their first ever IRONMAN in their life.

Talking clubs, the most numerous participations are those of “Olympic Nice Natation” with 29 athletes on the French side, and the C3 Canadian Cross training Club for the international with 21 athletes.

Always impressive in this sport: the big amplitude which also marks as instinctive sign of IRONMAN: for this 2nd IRONMAN France - Nice Triathlon, the youngest athlete is 19 years old (FRA) while the doyen carries his 68 springs (USA) proudly.

As to performances, 12 athletes line up performances sub 9 hours, three of which in age groups. The fastest female athlete comes with a personal best of 09h11. This event promises a very of high level of competition.

On the technical part, the 46 teams practically finished the immense preparations which govern such a competition: more than a tonne of bananas, 1500m of barriers, 22.000 bike bottles, 10.000 paper cups, thousands of energy bars are being delivered and distributed during before and during the course.

But this big sportive show would be incomplete without animations: percussion performances all day long on the Promenade des Anglais and in the hinterland for the bike race, music again with Pop Rock groups – Sad Waters and In Vitraux – in Herbalife Expo Village during the race week, dance with a crazy French Cancan to celebrate the Finishers and to finish this fabulous day big fireworks on the Promenade des Anglais at 23h00.

The public is welcomed to share this entire event; free access to the 800 seated places on the bleachers, easily accessible run and bike circuits so spectators can cheer athletes on all along the course. For those who wish to benefit from the hot spots: be sure to be on the beach at 06h30 for the swim start, take a stroll in the Herbalife Expo Village and encourage the athletes with friends, in family!

The biggest sports show of this summer takes place in Nice in XXL!

IRONMAN France – Nice Triathlon | www.ironmanfrance.com

June 25th, 2006
3.8km SWIM | 180km BIKE | 42.195km RUN
50 slots for the Ford Ironman World Championship on October 21st 
49 nations 
16 hours plus of animation on Race Day 
5 days of triathlon, multisport and related expo in the Jardins Albert 1er in Nice 

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