Cape To Cape and Port To Port Mountain Bike Stage Races Acquired By Ironman

Addition of Iconic Mountain Bike Races Expands IRONMAN’s Portfolio;

Cape to Cape to take place from October 19-22; Port to Port to take place from May 25-28

TAMPA, Fla. (May 17, 2017) – IRONMAN, a Wanda Sports Holdings Company, announced today the acquisition of two iconic mountain bike (MTB) stage events from Zubini Marketing & Management Pty Ltd. – the Cape to Cape™ MTB, in Western Australia and the Port to Port™ MTB, in Newcastle, Australia.
 
These two events join IRONMAN’s MTB portfolio of events, which also includes mountain bike races in New Zealand, The Motatapu and the multiple stage The Pioneer, the RRR Mountain Bike Challenge in Cairns, and the Absa Cape Epic in the Western Cape of South Africa.
 
Held in the stunning Margaret River region of Western Australia since 2008, the Cape to Cape MTB will celebrate 10 years in October, and with more than 2,000 expected competitors is widely recognized as Australasia’s biggest MTB multi-stage endurance race. Port to Port is held annually every May in the idyllic Nelson Bay Marina, Hunter Valley and Newcastle region of New South Wales, challenging athletes with four days of sandy tracks, fire trails, hill climbs, fast single tracks and steep descents. This year’s event will take place at the end of this month from May 25-28.
 
“The acquisition of these two Australian MTB stage races shows our commitment to expand our mountain biking portfolio both regionally and globally,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer for IRONMAN. “The Zubini Marketing & Management team has done a fantastic job of building the Cape to Cape and Port to Port, and we are pleased to provide our athletes with additional opportunities to race the world’s best MTB events.”
 
“We are really proud on how strong both the Cape to Cape and Port to Port events have grown over the past five years,” said Chris Heverin, Event Operation Director for Zubini Marketing & Management. “The events tourism model we have built for both have stood the test of time on the back of great destinations, excellent trails and an awesome ride experience for all competitors.”
 
“On the eve of Port to Port and in the tenth year of Cape to Cape the time feels right to take both events into a new era,” said Jason Dover, Event Race Director for Zubini Marketing & Management. “This association with IRONMAN, who are building such a great suite of international mountain bike events, presents enormous potential for Australia’s two premium stage events to grow even further in the future.”
 
The creation of the Cape to Cape in 2008 introduced a new major mountain biking event to the magnificent South West region of Western Australia that has engaged the community, showcased the natural environment and developed a fraternity of riders and supporters who return each year.
 
This friendly vibe has become the trademark of the Cape to Cape MTB and its sister race – the Port to Port MTB stage race – which was designed to be a fun but challenging course for riders of all levels, from recreational to competitive.
 
An integral part of both events’ success has also been the camaraderie of riders and the genuine connection of the event to the mountain biking and local communities.
 
“Cape to Cape and Port to Port embodies the very essence of freedom and satisfaction that is associated with mountain biking,” Dave Beeche, Managing Director for IRONMAN Oceania. “There is nothing better than experiencing a few days away, riding through beautiful countryside and enjoying valuable time with friends and family.”
 
“I would like to acknowledge the great work that Chris and Jason from Zubini Marketing & Management have done in building these outstanding MTB events and also recognize the support and role that the host cities/shires/tourism agencies have played in their continued growth. We look forward to working with everyone who has been involved in developing the spirit that has made these events so successful.  Together we can build on the enormous legacy that we are inheriting,” Beeche said.
 
For more information about Cape to Cape or Port to Port, please visit www.capetocapemtb.com and www.porttoportmtb.com, respectively.
 
For more information on IRONMAN and events in the IRONMAN portfolio, visit www.ironman.com.