体坛英语新闻：Scenic Chinese city of Liuzhou to host Ironman 70.3 race in April

NANNING, China, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Ironman 70.3 triathlon race will take place on April 1 in Liuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It will be the first of five Ironman 70.3 races to be held on the Chinese mainland this year.

Nicknamed as "the world's best bonsai", Liuzhou boasts rolling hills, mountain peaks, caves and karst scenery.

The Ironman 70.3 Liuzhou race will begin with a 1.9-kilometer swim in the Liu River, cutting right through the center of the city. Athletes will exit the water to transition next to beautiful Broom Hill Park.

The 90-kilometer bike course takes riders north out of the city, following the river for 35 kilometers before crossing west though the city to begin the second loop, and the 21.1-kilometer run course offers athletes a chance to see the scenes of the city as they complete two loops through downtown Liuzhou, along both banks of the Liu River.

Ironman 70.3 Liuzhou holds 30 qualifying slots for the 2017 Ironman World Championship and 50 qualifying slots for the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championship. In addition to Liuzhou, the race will also be held in Qujing, Chongqing, Hefei and Xiamen this year.