By Kent Gray/Triathlon.kiwi
New Zealand’s World Triathlon Multisport Championship team will get the chance to see Jan Frodeno, the sport’s GOAT, make his Professional Triathletes Organisation bow at the inaugural PTO European Open.
The PTO confirmed a co-hosting agreement with World Triathlon overnight that will see the PTO European Open staged in Ibiza, Spain on May 6. That’s the penultimate day of the WT Multisport Championship where a healthy swag of Kiwi age groupers will race from April 29-May 7.
After injury ruled Frodeno out of the Ironman World Championships last October, the 41-year-old German ace is looking to end his glittering career with a bang in 2023.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, three-time Ironman and two-time 70.3 world champion will also race the PTO U.S. Open in Milwaukee on August 4-5, in addition to the Ironman European Championships in Hamburg and the Ironman World Championship in Nice, France.
The European Open extends to three the confirmed venues on the PTO’s 2023 calendar with the inaugural Asian Open to be hosted in Singapore on August 19-20.
The PTO’s 100km season-opener will be centred in Ibiza Town, set against the island’s idyllic Balearic backdrop.
The 2km swim will take place off Figueretas Beach, the traditional swim course for triathlon events in Ibiza. The 80km bike heads towards San Antonio, with the multiple laps course finishing back to Figueretas Beach. The first part of the 18km run goes past Ibiza Port and from there the laps will take the athletes into the World Heritage area of the city. The finish line is at Plaza del Martillo, in the heart of the city.
“I was excited to announce that my first-ever PTO Open race will be the new PTO European Open in Ibiza, which sounds like a fantastic race in a great venue,” Frodeno said.
