Cozumel, Q. R. — Nearly 2,500 triathletes have signed up for the Mazda Ironman 70.3 Cozumel that will take place September 24th. Pablo Aguilar, representative of the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council, highlighted the effort that has been made to maintain these sporting events in Cozumel and make the Ironman 70.3 a tradition, being a strategy that has capitalized Cozumel as the sports island.
Fernando Beristain, President of the Cozumel Hotel Association said “I want to give very special thanks to Mayor Juanita Alonso since, at the beginning of this year, the sporting events, particularly the half Ironman and the Ironman, were in question given the change of state government and the commitments that the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council had, we were on the verge of losing these sporting events.”
He said he remembered that at the Tianguis Turístico, there was doubt as to whether the Ironman would continue, but after countless meetings the decision that had been made was not to continue financing the Ironman and the half Ironman.
“But it was thanks to the participation of our Mayor, Juanita Alonso and part of the City Council’s resources that we were able to hold these events again, which without her support would have been tragic news for Cozumel.
“Fortunately there was the will, the effort and the participation of all those involved and it was possible to give continuity to these events.”
Cozumel Police will cover transit issues for the upcoming Ironman 70.3 which is set to begin Sunday. Starting 5:00 a.m. Transit police will close the roads where the cycling and running circuits will take place.
The event will be supported by elements from the Ministry of the Navy, SEDENA, National Guard and State Police who will provide security from the start of the event in Chankanaab Park through the various avenues and streets along the triathlon route.
Deputy Director of Cozumel Transit, Telly Caamal Hau, announced that the roads that will be closed from 05:00 to 13:00 include Rafael E. Melgar Avenue in both directions from 11 South Avenue to Claudia Canto, the perimeter road from Claudio Canto to Mezcalitos, the transversal highway from east to west from Mezcalitos to 30th Avenue South, as well as the same road from Benito Juárez to 11 South.
From 05:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Rafael E. Melgar Avenue will be closed in both directions from 15th South to Airport Boulevard and the boardwalk will be closed from North to South from the Golf Course to González Fernández Avenue, he added.
Caamal Hau said that vehicle control has already been contemplated on the northern coast where drivers can use the free lane in the hotel sector in that area.
