Ironman 70.3 Saipan draws athletes worldwide

Triathletes from around the world gathered last March 11 on a tiny island—barely 13 miles long— in the western Pacific for the Ironman 70.3 Saipan, the newest race in the Ironman Circuit.

A calm lagoon and clear, languid waters welcomed competitors for the 1.2-mile swim leg of the race off the white sands of Pau Pau Beach, which translates from the indigenous Chamorro as “fragrant.”

The 56-mile bike leg carried racers through quiet roadways to the picturesque Bird Island on the northern point of Saipan, so named for being a stopover point for migratory birds traversing the Pacific. Bikers then made their way to the southern part of the island along Beach Road, so named for hugging the ironwood tree-lined western shoreline.

Competitors rose to the challenge of mounting humidity as they took on the 13-mile run portion of the race, passing between majestic ocean views and towering limestone cliffs in northern Marpi, a forested area dotted with historic World War II sites and numerous peace memorials.

“We are ecstatic to be hosting the first ever Ironman 70.3 in Micronesia. The international exposure and prestige this event brings to The Marianas is enormous,” said MVA managing Director Chris A. Concepcion.

“We had some minor confusion on traffic flow, and some drivers were less than courteous to our participants, but overall the community came out in full force to support this world-class event. We thank our partners at Best Sunshine International, Dept. of Public Works, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Saipan Mayor’s Office, and all others who assisted us with the large banner displays at the old La Fiesta Mall. The images we displayed were from our new marketing campaign called ‘Marianas 30 Treasures,’ which contain images from Rota, Tinian and Saipan. They provided a festive atmosphere, and importantly shielded from public view the eyesore that is La Fiesta Mall. We are satisfied with the turnout and look forward to hosting IRONMAN 70.3 Saipan in 2018,” he added.

While over half of the 181 competitors hailed from Japan, over 20 Koreans registered for the race, with 22-year-old Kwang Hoon Lee becoming the first Ironman in Saipan history with a 4:46:19 finish. Lee had been third out of the water and off the bike, as well. He was followed closely by fellow Korean Gyu Hung Lee (4:49:12), who finished the run leg in the quickest time. Rounding out the Top 3 in the men’s division was Igor Lysov (4:50:23) of Russia, who also had the fastest bike time.

The youngest female competitor, 19-year-old Suk Hyeon Choi was the first to cross the finish line in the women’s division with a time of 5:19:38. She was followed by Jayme Bograd of the U.S. in 5:23:40 and Jennifer Harmon, also of the U.S.at 3rd place (5:45:06).

Other participating countries were China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Thailand, U.S., Canada, France, Spain, Australia, Brazil, Columbia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, and The Marianas.

The event was co-organized under the Ironman umbrella by the MVA, Kiyokazu Fitness Club (KFC) of Japan and Athlonia.

Additional sponsors were: Delta Airlines, Fiesta Resort and Spa, and Kensington Hotel. Supporters were: Imperial Pacific International CSR Team, Triathlon Association of the CNMI, Marianas Health Services, Northern Marianas Diving Operators Association, Commonwealth Health Center Nursing Department, Dept. of Public Safety, Dept. of Public Lands, Division of Parks and Grounds, Dept. of Public Works Roads/Grounds, Saipan Mayor’s Office, and numerous volunteers.

Next, the MVA will host the Saipan Marathon 2017 on March 25. (MVA)