Mossel Bay, Garden Route (Nov 2023) – The first Isuzu Ironman 70.3 Mossel Bay event, held here for the first time in 2022, was a resounding success. Not only were entries sold out months before the race, but post-event surveys showed that athletes deemed Mossel Bay in the top 3 locations for this world-renowned race.
Coming in at a whopping 97.62% – a total calculated after participants completed an athlete satisfaction questionnaire to rate their experience in various Ironman venues – Mossel Bay only fell short by a very small margin to Port Macquarie in Australia (98.14%) and Chattanooga in the States (98.09%).
This is no small feat for a first-time host town, and serves as shot in the arm for everyone involved with preparations for this year’s event on Sunday November 19. Taking charge of the organising side is Ironman Events project manager Werner Smit, who can’t wait to welcome this year’s Ironman participants and guests once more.
“Thousands of excited athletes and their support teams and families joined us for the inaugural Ironman in Mossel Bay last year, and the crowds came out in droves to support the athletes on race day,” says Smit.
He adds that, according to the 2022 survey, 75.75% of athletes indicated they planned to return to Ironman 70.3 Mossel Bay. Taking the iconic venue into account, many of these visitors will have the good sense to extend their Mossel Bay stay beyond race day, with a good chunk of this year’s participants raring to explore more of the town’s unique offerings.
That’s what happens when your initial experience is so memorable that it simply has to be repeated. Some of the impressions shared in the survey include:
* The race? I liked that it was tough! I LOVE the area and the locals really went out to make it enjoyable for us. Their support carried us through both on the bike and the run, where the support was phenomenal. One can see that Mossel Bay really went out to welcome us and it was really appreciated.
* I loved the energy and support from the crowd. Traffic control throughout was amazing. The volunteers and race staff were terrific. Overall, a really solid experience.
* What an atmosphere, and very well organised! The commentator was great and the swim was probably the best ever! The finish is always good and the registration was amazing. The loop next to the sea was a nice surprise and the streets around the finish were filled with crowds of supporters.
Apart from the tourism mileage gained and support of charitable causes, the Isuzu Ironman 70.3 Mossel Bay also provides opportunities for community involvement and upliftment through skills transfer to young talent in and around Mossel Bay. Over 1,000 volunteers participated in the 2022 event.
“Volunteers are an integral part of Ironman events and athletes across the globe commended the volunteers in South Africa as being the best in the world,” beams Smit, proud of the fact that the human factor matched up to Mossel Bay’s natural beauty and countless tourism offerings.
Visit www.ironman.com/im703-mossel-bay for details. Call 044 691 2202 or click on www.visitmosselbay.co.za to book your stay in Iconic Mossel Bay.
Ikoniese Mosselbaai ‘n gunsteling Ironman-gasheer – wêreldwyd!
Mossel Bay, Garden Route (Nov ’23) – Die Isuzu Ironman 70.3-byeenkoms, wat in 2022 vir die eerste keer in Mosselbaai gehou is, was ‘n dawerende sukses. Nie net was inskrywings maande voor die wedloop uitverkoop nie, maar opnames na die byeenkoms het getoon dat atlete Mosselbaai as een van die top drie gashere vir hierdie wêreldbekende wedloop beskou.
Met ‘n yslike 97.62% – ‘n totaal bereken nadat deelnemers ‘n tevredenheidsvraelys voltooi het om hul ervaring in verskeie Ironman-lokale te beoordeel – was Mosselbaai net ‘n kleinkoppie agter Port Macquarie in Australië (98.14%) en Chattanooga in die VSA (98.09%).
Dit is geen geringe prestasie vir ‘n nuwe gasheerdorp nie, en dien as motivering vir almal wat betrokke is by voorbereidings vir vanjaar se geleentheid op Sondag 19 November. Die projekbestuurder van Ironman Events, Werner Smit, is verantwoordelik vir die organisasie en kannie wag om vanjaar se Ironman-deelnemers en kie weer eens te verwelkom nie.
“Duisende opgewonde atlete en hul ondersteuningspanne en gesinne het verlede jaar by ons aangesluit vir die eerste Ironman in Mosselbaai, en die groot skares het die strande en strate ingevaar om atlete op die groot dag te ondersteun,” sê Smit.
Hy voeg by dat, volgens die 2022-opname, 75.75% van die atlete aangedui het hulle beplan om terug te keer na Ironman 70.3 Mosselbaai. As die ikoniese omgewing in ag geneem word, sal baie van hierdie besoekers die gesonde verstand hê om hul Mosselbaai-verblyf ná wedloopdag te verleng, met ‘n groot gros van vanjaar se deelnemers wat brand om meer van die dorp se unieke aanbiedinge te verken.
Dit is wat gebeur wanneer jou aanvanklike ervaring so onvergeetlik is dat dit eenvoudig herhaal moet word. Sommige van die indrukke wat in die opname gedeel is, sluit in:
* Die wedloop? Ek het daarvan gehou dat dit so taai was! Ek is LIEF vir die area en die plaaslike inwoners het regtig uit hul pad uit gegaan om dit vir ons aangenaam te maak. Hul ondersteuning het ons gedra deur beide die fiets en die hardloop-seksies, waar die ondersteuning fenomenaal was. Mens kan sien dat Mosselbaai regtig oorgehaal was om ons te verwelkom en dit word opreg waardeer.
* Ek was mal oor die skare se energie en ondersteuning. Verkeersbeheer was deurgaans ongelooflik. Die vrywilligers en Ironman-personeel was wonderlik. Oor die algemeen, ‘n baie goeie ervaring.
* Wat ‘n atmosfeer, en so goed georganiseer! Die kommentator was puik en die swem was seker die beste ooit! Die einde van die wedlope is altyd ‘n hoogtepunt en die registrasie was ongelooflik. Die roete langs die see was ‘n lekker verrassing en strate rondom die eindpunt was gevul met skares ondersteuners.
Afgesien van blootstelling vir toerisme en ondersteuning van liefdadigheidssake, bied die Isuzu Ironman 70.3 Mosselbaai ook geleenthede vir gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid en opheffing deur vaardighede oor te dra aan talentvolle jong medewerkers van Mosselbaai en sy omstreke. Meer as 1,000 vrywilligers het hand bygesit tydens die 2022-geleentheid.
“Vrywilligers vorm ‘n integrale deel van Ironman-byeenkomste en atlete van regoor die planeet beskou Suid-Afrikaanse vrywilligers as die heel beste ter wêreld,” straal Smit, trots op die feit dat die menslike faktor net so goed vaar soos Mosselbaai se natuurlike skoonheid en tallose toerisme trekpleisters.
Besoek www.ironman.com/im703-mossel-bay vir besonderhede oor registrasie, roetes en kategorieë, en om in te skryf. Skakel 044 691 2202 of klik op www.visitmosselbay.co.za om jou verblyf in Ikoniese Mosselbaai vas te maak.