International field at Austria Ironman 70.3 in St. Polten

More than 34 countries represented at the race

This weeks race in St. Polten has attracted 1.470 athletes from 34 countries. Lower Austria's biggest sport event has resulted in fully booked hotels and B&Bs, which is bringing 5.2 million Euros to the region.

Race week kicks off on Thursday with the official opening of the EXPO. A kids triathlon for youngsters between six and 15 years old will start at 11.30 a.m.

At 2 p.m on Thursday the Niederösterreichische Triathlon challenge will take place. The sprint triathlon includes a 750m swim, a 20 km bike and a five km run.

The highlight of race week will be the Ironman 70.3 which starts on Saturday, May 24th at 8.30 a.m.
This weekend's race will see 34 countries represented. Austria leads the way in participation, followed by Germany and Italy. Other represented countries include Canada, South Africa and Mexico, which proves the international character of this sport and shows that the athletes are not reluctant to travel far.

The registration for the Austria Ironman 70.3 2009 opens on Sunday, May 25, 2008.