February 12, 2007 (Tarpon Springs, FL) - The Ironman 70.3 Event Calendar continues to grow, as the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Germany event is the latest addition for 2007. The event is slated for August 19, 2007 and will take place in Wiesbaden, the regional capital of the State of Hessen. The event will serve as a qualifier for both the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Florida and the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

The city of Wiesbaden, located on the Rhein River offers ideal conditions for the event. The one-loop swim course starts in the “Harbor of Schierstein,” adjacent to the river Rhein. The bike course, also consisting of one loop, will take athletes through the beautiful, but hilly, countryside of Rheingau and Taunus. The run course includes three loops through the Spa Gardens and finishes in front of the Kurhaus, the most historic landmark in the City of Wiesbaden.

Wiesbaden is also a popular tourist destination, with a variety of activities for athletes and their families when they are not training and racing. While popular for shopping, Wiesbaden also offers inviting boat tours on the River Rhein. Other popular tourist activities include: trips to one of many wineries, the wine capital of Rüdesheim, numerous historic castles, the monastery of Eberbach, the Loreley and much more.

A total of 100 qualifying slots will be awarded to age group and professional athletes for the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 taking place on November 10, 2007 in Clearwater, Florida. Additionally, there will be 15 qualifying slots awarded for the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship taking place on October 13th, 2007 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Ironman 70.3 Germany becomes the 23rd event in the Ironman 70.3 series, events that consist of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run. Ironman 70.3 Germany will also host an “IronTeam” relay competition, in which each team member will complete one of the three disciplines.