Nearly 3,400 athletes will take part in the triathlon weekend in Kraków. Over 2,100 competitors will race in the IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków event.
Preparations for the event began months ago, but the last few weeks have been the most intense. Structures marking the course have already been set up on the Main Square and along other parts of the route. Athletes from around the world are slowly arriving in Kraków to take part in this historic race.
Organizing IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków and all accompanying events is a huge logistical effort. The success of the event depends on the well-coordinated work of dozens of people. All of this is to make sure everything runs smoothly and safely, and that athletes leave Kraków with only good memories. I’m confident that IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków will stand out not just among races in Poland, but also worldwide.
Michał Drelich – Race Director, IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków
The capital of Małopolska is making its debut as a host city for an IRONMAN event. Kraków aims to make the most of the marketing potential that comes with welcoming several thousand athletes, many from outside Poland. It’s clear that such a large group of athletes, along with their families and friends, means more guests for hotels, restaurants and taxis. From a sporting perspective, Kraków’s appearance on the IRONMAN map marked with the M-dot symbol is a major mark of prestige.
Kraków is a city open to major events and ambitious people. IRONMAN is not only a world-class triathlon race, but also a great opportunity to showcase Kraków as a place that combines history, energy and a passion for sport. The course leads through the most beautiful parts of our city, and the finish line is set in the very heart of it – the Main Square. It couldn’t be more symbolic. Kraków has the organizational experience and infrastructure to host events on an international scale. We want IRONMAN 70.3 to become a permanent fixture in our city’s sporting calendar and a reason to come back – not necessarily with a race number, but as someone who has fallen in love with this city.
Łukasz Sęk – Deputy Mayor of Kraków
The capital of Małopolska is making its debut as a host city for an IRONMAN event. It’s looking to tap into the marketing potential that comes with welcoming several thousand athletes, many of them from outside Poland. It’s obvious that such a large group of athletes, along with their families and friends, means more guests for hotels, restaurants and taxi services. From a sporting point of view, Kraków’s appearance on the IRONMAN map marked with the M-dot logo is a major mark of prestige.
We’ve set up a large fan zone right in the city center – on the Main Square – filled with attractions. Everyone knows Bochnia for its salt mine, but we have much more to offer. There are plenty of things for tourists to enjoy, and we’ll be showcasing them on Sunday.
Magdalena Łacna – Mayor of Bochnia
During the race, the athletes will surely be focused on competing, but their families and supporters will have plenty of time to enjoy the tourist attractions of the region. This was highlighted during the press conference by Michał Główka, Deputy Director of the Department of Sport and Physical Activity Promotion at the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Region.
Małopolska is a unique region – with beautiful landscapes around Kraków and the Tatra Mountains, and cities known worldwide for their tourism. It’s a place made for hosting sporting events that demand strong endurance. We hope that IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków will help promote the region among triathlon enthusiasts.
Michał Główka – Deputy Director of the Department of Sport and Physical Activity Promotion at the Marshal’s Office
There is no doubt that the well-known athletes who have announced they will compete in Kraków will boost interest. For months, fans have been excited by the news that multiple medalist, World Champion and Olympian Piotr Małachowski will make his triathlon debut. The discus thrower, long known for his powerful build, has spent the past few months training, shedding 20 kilograms and dropping old habits.
My sports career never required this kind of endurance training. I’ve never run this much in my life, I used to ride a bike just for fun, and I didn’t need to swim at all. But I tried it all — and I liked it. I’m not chasing a result, since this is my first race. I just want to show people that triathlon is for everyone, and that training really improves your quality of life.
Piotr Małachowski – former track and field athlete, IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków ambassador
Piotr Małachowski’s story shows that a sport made up of three disciplines is within reach for anyone who has determination and is willing to put in the training. The best proof of this is the fact that the oldest athlete racing in Kraków is 70 years old.
Much younger is another ambassador of IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków – Mateusz “Tromba” Trąbka, an influencer known to the public through his involvement with the Friz Team. For him, triathlon has become a part of his daily routine.
Training is part of my everyday life. It’s a regular part of my day. One day I realized I needed to change something in my life, and that’s when my journey with triathlon began. The plan is to finish this race in my beloved Kraków. I’m strong in the run, I do well on the bike — I just need to get through the swim within the time limit and I’ll be fine.
Mateusz “Tromba” Trąbka – influencer, former member of the Friz Team, IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków ambassador
The relay race promises to be especially exciting, with teams like FizjoTRIterapia on the start list. The swim leg will be taken on by Paweł Korzeniowski, former world champion in butterfly. Actor Tomasz Karolak will ride the cycling leg, and the final run will be completed by Leszek Krawczyński. He won his spot on the team through a charity auction to race alongside Karolak and Korzeniowski. The entire amount raised will be donated to the FizjoTRIterapia Foundation.
Relay teams made up of Citi Handlowy employees and para-athletes are also hoping for a warm welcome. As in previous years, the Polish Paralympic Committee will field its own team, including Zbigniew Maciejewski (bronze medalist at the Paris Paralympic Games), Jakub Staszkiewicz (multiple Polish Championship medalist), Witold Misztela (winner of the Wings for Life run), and Krzysztof Plewa (Paralympic Games participant in Beijing). In total, Citi Handlowy and the Polish Paralympic Committee will field 14 joint relay teams.
Racing together means much more to us than just a sporting challenge. Of course, results always matter. For many years, we’ve been taking part in various sports events as part of the Live Well at Citi initiative to support young people with disabilities. Together with our clients, we form the #ExtraordinaryTeam. Being part of it is something that inspires our teams, clients, families, and friends.
Łukasz Satera – Director of Industrial Client Relations Department at Citi Handlowy
The relay teams are supporting the “Be Active” project run by the Polish Paralympic Committee. Thanks to this initiative, children with disabilities from all over Poland can take part in free sports training sessions led by qualified coaches and held in facilities adapted to their needs. There’s also one more surprise waiting for us during IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków.
On Sunday, we’ll see the first fully para-athlete relay team in the history of IRONMAN events in Poland. These athletes began their triathlon journey with us. As they said themselves, what drew them in was the fact that during IRONMAN, they could compete with others on equal terms.
Łukasz Szeliga – President of the Polish Paralympic Committee
The triathlon weekend in Kraków will kick off on Saturday morning. At 9:00, runners will take to the course for the Good Morning Run. The five-kilometre route will take participants along the Vistula River and around Wawel Castle. The race will finish in the very heart of the city – on the Main Square.
The Host City of the event is Kraków, the Official Sponsor is Citi Handlowy, and the Strategic Partners are the City of Bochnia and the Małopolska Region. Sponsors include Enterprise Rent a Car, Pho3nix Foundation, Nutrend, and sportano.pl. Media partners include Trójka, WP Sportowe Fakty, and Akademia Triathlonu.
