The City Government of Davao has earmarked a P20 million budget solely for the Ironman 70.3 event scheduled for August 11, 2024, in Davao City.
Lawyer Tristan Dwight P. Domingo, assistant city administrator, bared this during the Ironman 70.3 Davao Sponsors Press Launch at Arcadia Events Center on June 25.
The funds will cover all aspects from pre- to post-production of the event, emphasizing the city's commitment to hosting this major sports event.
Princess Galura, president and general manager of Sunrise Events Inc., affirmed the allocation, highlighting the contributions of major partner AboitizPower and ongoing sponsors like RL Residences for IRONKIDS ® Davao and 2GO for Gwapa Dabawenya.
Minor partners include Global Premier Partners, VinFast, Active, Hoka, Roka, Breitling, Global Technical Partners Athletic Brewing Co., FulGaz, Hyperice, Qatar Airways, Santini, AG1, Wahoo; Asia Supplier Partners, Always Advancing, Compressport, Ekoi and Nirvana; and Media Partners, Outside+ and Sportograf.
In response to incidents during last year's edition of the race, event organizers have committed to strengthening safety measures.
In 2023, a tragic incident occurred when a swimming coach suffered a fatal heart attack during the swim course, and a separate accident involved a cyclist colliding with a spectator.
Galura announced heightened staffing along the race route, especially during the bike segment.
"We will implement a two-loop system to ensure containment, including guards for spectators, instead of a single continuous loop, which would require us to oversee 45 kilometers of the bike course," she explained.
Approximately 4,000 triathletes from the Philippines and 29 other countries will join the fourth installment of IRONMAN 70.3 in Davao City on August 11, 2024.
She said that the 2024 edition of this premier sports event in the country will feature an entirely new course, offering fresh challenges.
The course will stretch from Davao City Coastal Road to McArthur Highway, extending into sections of the National Highway in Sta. Cruz.
Athletes will swim 1.9 kilometers along the coast, cycle 90 kilometers toward MacArthur Highway, and then return to the coastal road for a 21.1-kilometer run to the finish line. DEF