Professional Triathletes Organisation announces Ibiza as inaugural host of the PTO European Open

The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has announced that Ibiza will host the first staging of the PTO European Open on May 6 as part of its 2023 PTO Tour calendar.

The PTO European Open will feature a women’s and men’s 100km race (2km swim; 80km bike; 18km run) that will take place in Ibiza Town, set against the island’s idyllic Balearic backdrop and co-hosted alongside the 2023 World Triathlon Multisport Championships. The two PTO races will be broadcast live around the world to 170+ territories, courtesy of the PTO Tour’s partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery and a series of other regional and national broadcasters.

Commenting on the news, PTO CEO Sam Renouf said: “We’re excited to confirm that Ibiza will host the inaugural PTO European Open and kick off the 2023 PTO Tour. It continues the expansion of the PTO Tour and our journey to different continents, courses and climates and will be a fantastic way to start the season.”

The experience for the athletes will be unique as the circuit will pass through the most iconic places on the island. The swim will take place at Figueretas Beach, the traditional swim course for Triathlon events in Ibiza. After finishing the swim, the athletes will go into the transition area, to start the bike towards San Antonio, and a multiple-laps bike course will come back to Figueretas Beach for the second transition. The first part of the run goes past Ibiza Port, and from there the laps will take the athletes into the World Heritage area of the city. It is an exciting course that will showcase Ibiza with a finish area at Plaza del Martillo, in the heart of the city.

"In the Spanish Triathlon Federation, we are very pleased with this agreement that will enable the PTO to hold their races in our country, in Ibiza, one of the events of its global PTO Tour calendar," said José Hidalgo, president of the Spanish Triathlon Federation. "We believe that this type of alliance also serves to make triathlon bigger."

In addition, Hidalgo stressed that: "Spain has always been a pioneer country and we have always believed that the association of all the actors and organisers of this sport is paramount to make it bigger and more important. This agreement, with the celebration in Ibiza of one of the events of the PTO Tour, is undoubtedly in keeping with that. In short, it is great news for the Triathlon world and great news for the Spanish triathlon.”

World Triathlon President and IOC Member, Marisol Casado, said: “After the great experience of last year in Samorin, we are delighted to partner again with the PTO to work together on an event that will be a great spectacle for all the athletes and spectators as well as for Ibiza and the island.

"The partnership with the PTO is just natural for us, and it is great to see many of the world’s very best long-distance triathletes in action in this type of combined event, offering the athletes multiple opportunities to race. We are all ready to offer all the athletes the best experience possible and to make Ibiza an unforgettable event for all.”

Following the news that Jan Frodeno is targeting the race, the German great said: “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.”

Spanish triathletes were also very happy with the news that Ibiza will host the PTO European Open.

"First time in Europe and first time at home. I'm sure it will be an amazing experience and a unique opportunity for all Spanish fans to see live the best long distance triathletes in the world," said Pablo Dapena, while for Sara Pérez Sala commented: "That a race of the level of the PTO is in Ibiza is a real blast.

"It will be a home race with a public devoted to the Spaniards who compete - and there will be many people cheering. Personally, it makes me very excited because it is a trip close to home, a place that I have long wanted to go and a place where I hope to spend a few weeks training to familiarise myself with the circuits and to prepare for the race.”