The VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship has been named a finalist in the Major or Mega Event of the Year category at the 2025 NZEA New Zealand Event Awards.
Destination Great Lake Taupō announced the nomination this week.
The event last year was the first time the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship had been held in New Zealand, taking advantage of Taupō as the home of IRONMAN New Zealand and IRONMAN 70.3 Taupō.
The race featured a swim leg in the lake, a bike course through rural landscape and a run course which took in views of the lakefront lined with spectator and local support.
This year’s awards received a record number of entries, with judges praising the outstanding calibre of events across the country.
In such a competitive field, being recognised as a finalist is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the dedication, collaboration, and passion behind delivering this world-class event in Taupō,” said Sinead Vincent, district events manager at Taupō District Council.
“This recognition reflects the collective efforts of our partners, the IRONMAN Group, Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board, Te Kotahitanga o Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and Ngāti Tahu – Ngāti Whaoa, whose support was instrumental in making it all possible.
The winners will be announced at the NZEA Awards Gala on Tuesday 2 September 2025 at Claudelands Events Centre, Hamilton.
“This recognition highlights the scale and impact of the VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and the incredible effort from all involved – from organisers and volunteers to the local community, iwi partners, businesses and supporters,” said Patrick Dault, general manager of Destination Great Lake Taupō.
