The calendar of Polish events under the IRONMAN banner will not undergo significant changes in 2024. From June 7th to 9th, Warsaw will once again be the battleground for athletes from around the world, with Gdynia traditionally hosting triathletes in the first weekend of August, and the season concluding again in Poznań at the end of August and the beginning of September (August 30 - September 1).
These three cities are the main triathlon hubs in the country. Each of them actively supports us in organizing the events, and they are well-connected cities prepared to host international sports competitions. Each of these events has also solidified its position on the triathlon calendar in Poland and worldwide. Therefore, we see no reason to make significant changes here, but there will be changes in the program of each event, says Michał Drelich, director of IRONMAN Poland
The common denominator for all three editions of IRONMAN Poland 2024 will be the IRONMAN 70.3 series, which includes a competition on the "half" distance - 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike, and 21.1 km run. Qualifications for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships will be available at each event. Additionally, all three cities will enable triathletes to compete in the Olympic distance (1.5 - 40 - 10 km) as part of the 5150 Triathlon Series.
In each of the three cities, there will also be a Night Run, a 5 km run held late in the evening, with a unique atmosphere and a special finish line experience. This is primarily for those who want to be part of IRONMAN Poland events but are not yet ready to compete in all three disciplines at once.
One of the new things we want to introduce is the Open Water swimming competition held the day before the main races in Warsaw and Poznań. We hope that swimmers will join us, and for triathletes, it will be an excellent opportunity to train in the water where they will compete in triathlon the next day, announces Michał Drelich.
In the program of all three events, there will once again be room for children's races. In the 2024 season, all of them will be held under the global IRONKIDS brand. The format of the races will remain unchanged from previous years, meaning that in Warsaw and Poznań, children will participate in short runs, while in Gdynia, they will compete in the aquathlon format.
CHANGES IN GDYNIA
The most significant changes will occur in the program of Enea IRONMAN 70.3 Gdynia. The most important one is the absence of the full IRONMAN distance competition.
"These were three wonderful seasons with the full IRONMAN distance in Gdynia. Lots of emotions, tears of excitement, the unforgettable atmosphere of the evening finish line, and qualifications for the legendary IRONMAN World Championships in Hawaii - these are absolutely unique things that will stay in our memories for a long time. 'Never say never,' so we do not rule out that the full IRONMAN distance may return someday, but for now, we had to make the difficult decision to withdraw this element from the program," comments Michał Drelich.
The main race in Gdynia will once again be the IRONMAN 70.3 distance competition. However, there are more changes to come. Just like in Warsaw and Poznań, there will also be an Olympic distance event called 5150 Gdynia, available for individual athletes and relay teams. The traditional Saturday sprint triathlon will be replaced by a new format, 4:18:4 Gdynia, which involves even shorter distances of 400m swimming, 18 km cycling, and 4 km running.
"This format worked excellently in Denmark at some point, and IRONMAN introduced it in other countries as well. We want these to be accessible races for everyone - both in terms of distances and the registration fee. We hope that this way, even more people will try triathlon, feel the excitement, and fall in love with this fantastic discipline," explains Michał Drelich.
The last Gdynia novelty will be the possibility of participating in the IRONMAN 70.3 distance in three-person relay teams. Organizers do not rule out that if this format proves successful in Gdynia, it may also appear in Warsaw and Poznań in the following years.
WHAT, WHERE, WHEN?
In summary, the program of individual IRONMAN Poland events in the 2024 season looks as follows:
Warsaw:
- June 7: Night Run (5 km)
- June 8: IRONKIDS, Open Water
- June 9: IRONMAN 70.3, 5150 Triathlon Series (including relays)
Gdynia:
- August 2: IRONKIDS (aquathlon), Night Run (5 km)
- August 3: 4:18:4 Gdynia
- August 4: IRONMAN 70.3, 5150 Triathlon Series (both distances with relays)
Poznań:
- August 30: Night Run (5 km)
- August 31: IRONKIDS, Open Water
- September 1: IRONMAN 70.3, 5150 Triathlon Series (including relays)
Registration for the Citi Handlowy IRONMAN 70.3 Warsaw is already open. Registrations for the main races in Gdynia and Poznań will open on October 30. At a later date, registration will be available for IRONKIDS and Night Run races.
