Belfast to Host 24 Hour World Championships in 2017

It has just been announced that Belfast will host the 24 Hour World Championships in July of 2017. The last 24 Hour World Championships were held in Italy in April 2015 and attracted 300 runners from all over the World (177 men & 123 women).

In recent years, the Irish 24 Hour Championships have been held on the Mary Peters Track in Belfast. This year, it will be moved to Victoria Park in East Belfast where there runners will use a loop that is just under 1.7kms in length.

Victoria Park is located between the George Best Belfast City Airport and the old Harland and Wolff dockyards. There is a 5km parkrun there every Saturday morning and attacts about 100-300 people.

Here is the anouncement from the IAU (International Association of Ultrarunners)...
Belfast has been selected to host the next 24 Hour World Championships in 2017.  The bid presented by this Northern Ireland city was very strong and the Local Organizing Committee have started work to host the event next year. The 24 Hour championships will take place July 1st and 2nd in Victoria Park in East Belfast. We wish the LOC the very best of luck as they progress towards the organization of the event. As we get closer to the event we will present more information. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us...Nadeem Khan, Director of Communications

Here is what it looks like on the ground...

This is an international event which will have teams from all over the world representing their country. There will also be an Irish team and their selection will probably depend on the results of the Irish 24 hour championships at the end of June 2016. It's also likely though that this will be an open competition with anyone able to take part.

Update from the organisers......."The 12th IAU 24-Hr World Championships are on their way to Belfast next year,2017. They'll be held in Victoria Park on July 1 and 2.
There is the potential for 300 athletes from 50 nations to take part. The Irish championships will still be on; and there will also be an Open race with 100 places available.
It kind of makes this June's Energia24 important as a dress rehearsal for 2017!
Thanks to everyone for their support and help in building the race up and getting us to these dizzy heights.
The Championships was launched in the Park this morning with Irish internationals Ruthann Sheahan and John O'Regan making the long journeys up to help Belfast's Lord Mayor get the build-up started. Just 500 days to go! "