Tim Van Berkel of Australia and Anna Eberhardt of Hungary won the men’s and women’s professional titles at the VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam triathlon yesterday.

Winners: Tim Van Berkel (left), from Australia, and Anna Eberhardt (centre) from Hungary join a media meet after the VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam triathlon. Berkel and Eberhardt won the men’s and women’s professional titles. (Photo: VNS)

In the biggest triathlon of the year, Van Berkel, who ranked 2^nd in the race last year, clocked 3 hours 56.19 minutes to win the men’s race, while Eberhardt won the women’s title with a time of 4hrs 34min 56sec.

“I was very excited for the race today. I did not get a good start with the swimming, but was the best in cycling and running.  The heat and high humidity became a stiff challenge during the last four kilometres,” Van Berkel told the press after the race.

“I think I will come back for the race next year.”

Racing for the 1^st time in Da Nang, Alexander Polizzi of Australia expressed pleasant surprise.

“It was a really hot day. But the track was very nice, clean and green.  The race was organised with good security.” Alexander said.

The winner of the women’s race, Eberhardt also had to overcome the hot weather to maintain her lead.

She said it was the 1^st time she was joining the race in Viet Nam, and Da Nang was a good venue for the VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam triathlon.

Ivan Kalashnikov, who came 2^nd in the men’s division, said he was really tired in the last 5km, but received good support from volunteers.  He said local hospitality helped him complete the race.

New Zealand’s Mike Phillips finished 3^rd in the men’s race with a time of 4hrs 2min 14sec, ahead of Brad Williams of the US (4hrs 7min 40sec).

Dimity Lee Duke of Australia, last year’s 3^rd place finisher, finished 2^nd in the women’s division with a tine 4hr 37min 3sec, beating Laura Wood of New Zealand, and Sarah Lester of Australia.

The 3^rd edition of the race marked Da Nang as a favourite rendezvous for global triathletes. More than than 1,300 athletes from 59 countries and territories including 19 professionals and 100 relay teams participated in the race.

Viet Nam had the highest number of participants at 390 athletes.

This year’s race involved a 1.9km ocean swim, a 90km bike race and a 21km run along the most beautiful coastline in the city’s Son Tra Peninsula.

Alongside the VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam triathlon, the race’s organiser, the Sunrise Events Company, hosted two events – an IRONKIDS Vietnam and the ‘Sunrise Sprint’ – to promote triathlons among the younger generations and locals. This involves a 750m open-water swim, 20km bike and a 5km run.

Last Saturday, the IRONKIDS race was organised for kids aged 6 to 14, with an aquathlon including swimming and running.

Athletes also joined the 2^nd RUN OUT is from the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa to the Da Nang Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital. It aimed to raise funds for Newborns Vietnam, a British charity based in the city which works to improve the survival rate and care of newborn infants in the city and neighbouring provinces.

According to the organisers, the VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam triathlon has helped raise more than 50,000 USD to support Newborns Viet Nam

The General Director of the Sunrise Events Company, Mr Trinh Bang, said the VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam triathlon expects to generate 10 million USD from sport tourism this year.

The VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam triathlon will serve as a qualifying race for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Chanttanooga, Tennessee, the US, with 30 qualifying slots available.

There are 2 slots exclusively available for the top Vietnamese male and female athletes, organisers said.

The VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam triathlon was held in Da Nang in 2015 and 2016 with the participation of more than 1,000 athletes and their families each year.

The city also agreed to host the event in Da Nang from 2018-2022.

Viet Nam is the 30^th country in the world and the 8^th Asia-Pacific country to host an IRONMAN triathlon.

(Source: VNS/ DA NANG Today)