Over 150 athletes from 37 countries, including 28 Rwandan nationals, on Sunday gathered in Gisenyi for the inaugural edition of the Ironman triathlon race which is underway in Rubavu District, Western Province.

The race, the first of its kind in Rwanda, is one of a series of long distance triathlon races organised by the World Triathlon Corporation.

Male athletes recorded the highest representation with 75 percent of the total athletes while Rwanda is the most represented with 18%, followed by South Africa (16 per cent), Kenya (13.5 per cent, the United States (10 per cent) while Great Britain completes the top five with 9 percent.

Inaugurated by Rubavu Mayor Ildephonse Kambogo, the race started at 8AM at Gisenyi public beach with a swim course.

Itinerary

Athletes participating in Ironman 70.3 Rwanda will take on a 1.9km swim at the waterfront of Lake Kivu, a 90km bike course, and a multi-lap 21.1km run course that spans the shoreline of Lake Kivu.

The athletes will begin with swimming after which they will ride bikes from the lake to Pfunda and cross the road to Karongi and return to Kivu Serena Hotel, then head to Kigufi and Kivu Paradise Resort and return to Kivu Serena Hotel in a distance that covers 45 km.

They will do another round to cover the required distance of 90km.

The last part of the race will see athletes run a distance of 21km starting from Kivu Serena Hotel and head to Grande Barriere and Airport and continue to Petite Barriere then cross Rwanda Revenue Authority to return to Kivu Serena Hotel.

They will do three rounds in the same itinerary to cover the 21km required.