Port Macquarie in NSW is the home of the Australian Ironman triathlon and 70.3 events. From 2011, Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie will take place simultaneously with Ironman Australia on the same course, but starting at a later time. For over 25 years, Ironman Australian has been a qualifying event for the Ford Ironman World Championship, held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii each October. It also serves as the NSW's State Ultra Distance Championship triathlon, and as such is the grand finale of the annual competition for the Greg Welch Trophy.
Port Macquarie, on the picturesque Mid North Coast of New South Wales, is the host venue for Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia. Port Macquarie is a beachside city, accessible by air from Sydney and Brisbane, and by road from Sydney and Newcastle. There will be 40 age group qualifying slots to the Ford Ironman World Championship on offer at Ironman Australia 2011.
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) consisting of a 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bike and a marathon (26.2 miles 42.195 km) run, raced in that order and without a break. Most Ironman events have a strict time limit of 17 hours to complete the race, where the Ironman race starts at 7 AM, the mandatory swim cut off for the 2.4 mile swim is 2 hours 20 minutes, the bike cut off time is 5:30 PM, and all finishers must complete their marathon by midnight. The original Ironman is held in conditions which are uniquely punishing for endurance racing: the Hawaii water is warm enough that helpfully buoyant wetsuits are not allowed; though the cycling hills have only moderate gradients they are normally crossed by strong and gusting winds; and the marathon leg of the race is usually extremely hot. Other races under the WTC aegis have their own difficulties, characteristic of their setting and season. Anyone completing one of these races within the time limit, so long as it is the prescribed distance, is entitled to call themselves an Ironman (the term being gender-neutral). At one time there was no cut-off time, then a 15 hour time limit. For these events the normal time limit is now 17 hours. Some iron distance races (not sanctioned by the WTC corporation, but using the same standard distances) have different cut-off times.
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