A record number of professional participants are expected, all of whom are aiming to break Patrick Lange’s record of 7:40:00 on this super-fast IRONMAN course.  

Tiberias, Israel, February 14, 2023 –Following the tremendous success of last year’s competition, the Comtec Group and the Sylvan Adams Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Ministry of Tourism, the World Triathlon and the Tiberias Municipality, today announced that the “IRONMAN-ISRAEL MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIP” triathlon competition will be held for the second year running in Israel, on 3^rd November 2023. The event will take place in the northern city of Tiberias, on the banks of the picturesque Sea of the Galilee. 

Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar welcomed the opening of registration: 

“I congratulate the opening of the IRONMAN Israel Middle East championship. In light of the competition’s success last year, I am happy to support the competition again this year and make it a tradition of regional and international importance. The competition is expected to attract thousands of athletes from all over the world, including athletes from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, and will provide all participants with an opportunity to meet and connect between cultures, religions, and peoples, especially against the backdrop of the spectacular scenery of Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee.” 

The event is once again being organized by the Comtec Group in partnership with the Sylvan Adams Foundation, which has brought a number of major sports events to Israel – including the Giro d’Italia, the Eurobasket, the Judo Grand Slam, the French Super Cup final and Argentina vs. Uruguay.  

“IRONMAN – ISRAEL MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIP” is a regional competition that took place in Israel last year for the first of time, and is one of five IRONMAN championship events held around the world. Thanks to the work of Sylvan Adams and the Comtec Group, competitors from the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and other neighboring countries are once again expected to take part in the competition.  

“The success of the race last year brought thousands of contestants from around the world – including from Morocco, Bahrain, and the UAE – to Israel for the first time, demonstrating the success of the Abraham Accords. We believe that this year we will see a record number of participants who will enjoy the spectacular scenery of Israel and go on to become ambassadors for the country.”  

— Sylvan Adams, Honorary President of IRONMAN Israel Middle East Championship

The “IRONMAN” contest is seen as the most prestigious triathlon competition in the world. It includes three sections: swimming, cycling, and running. There are no breaks, and the participants have a time limit to finish each section of the competition, making it both a highly physical and mental challenge. 

As part of the IRONMAN in Tiberias there will be two races: 

• Full IRONMAN including 3.8 kilometers of swimming in the Kinneret, 180 kilometers of cycling and 42.2 kilometers of running. 
• IRONMAN 70.3 race including 1.8 kilometers of swimming in the Kinneret, 90 kilometers of cycling, and 21.1 kilometers of running.  

“The city of Tiberias proves time and again that it is worthy of hosting international sports events, welcoming high-level competitions with the participation of thousands of athletes from Israel and around the world. Tiberias is an international tourist destination that is holy to three religions, I am hopeful that the IRONMAN Israel Middle East Championship will see more athletes from the Gulf and other Arab countries this year. We are ready to welcome them with open arms, and I call on everyone to register – this is just the warm-up.” 

— Boaz Yosef, Chair of the Tiberias Funding Committee

REGISTRATION FOR “IRONMAN – ISRAEL MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIP 2023” will begin today on the competition website 

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