The city of Nice takes over the "half" Ironman world championships

The Ironman 70.3 is coming to Nice. Or more precisely, the world championships for this discipline are back!

The Côte d'Azur capital had already hosted this competition in 2019, which is the equivalent of a half-Ironman. Its name refers to the distance covered in miles by the athletes, which is half the 140.6 miles of the world's largest triathlon, whose historical birthplace is Hawaii.

It is in fact in partnership with this American island in the middle of the Pacific that Nice has been entrusted in 2022, on an alternating basis, with the organization of the Ironman men's and women's world championships since the discipline was split into two separate races. The contract was for three years and will end at the end of the 2025 edition (men's), which will take place on September 14. But a new date has already been set.

25,000 visitors and €50 million in revenue

The French Riviera capital will now host the "half" world championships , the 70.3-mile version of the Ironman. At least, the 2026, 2028, and 2030 editions . Such a geographical anchoring is a historic first. The competition has until now been itinerant. The last edition took place in Taupo, New Zealand, after Lathi, Finland, in 2023 and Saint George, Utah, in 2022.

Nice thus becomes the capital of the 70.3 Ironman, a discipline that boasts more than 200,000 enthusiasts of all nationalities who regularly vie for a place in the rankings of the 110 competitions organized across the planet. The world championships are, of course, the Holy Grail of this sport. According to the municipality, they should attract more than 25,000 people to Nice, including 6,000 athletes. The city is counting on more than €50 million in economic benefits from this new international sporting event.

Mayor Christian Estrosi sees this as recognition of "Nice's talent, which has built a reputation for organizing major sporting events, one of its hallmarks." Thanks to this new, high-level sporting event, the Côte d'Azur capital will be able to boast in 2028 of being the city that, after Hawaii, the birthplace of the discipline, "will have hosted the most Ironman World Championships."