IRONMAN Pro Entries

For the 2010 Race Season the WTC has introduced a new IRONMAN Professional Membership Program.

To compliment the creation of the Ironman Anti Doping Program, WTC has launched the Professional Membership Program in an effort to streamline and enhance the quality and athletic standards of Ironman branded events as a global brand. Membership to the Program is MANDATORY to all athletes who intend to race in the Professional Division in any recognised Ironman or Ironman 70.3 event. By virtue of this membership, all Professional athletes will be included in the Ironman Anti Doping Program, and are subject to the Code of Conduct and Rules.

Annual membership into the Program is $750.00 (payable direct to the WTC) and it will run on the calendar year. For the 2010 season the Program will be applicable to all events after February 1st 2010. For more information on the IRONMAN Professional Membership Program please visit www.ironmancenter.com

Please note the IRONMAN UK Pro Entry Policy, in accordance with WTC guidelines, is that all Pro Entries must be completed and submitted online 28 days prior to Race Day. Please note this policy is dependant on places being available.

Prize Money

The IRONMAN UK Triathlon is set to continue to offer the biggest prize fund in British Triathlon. Only athletes who register in the Pro category on their Entry Form are eligible to receive prize money in this official Ironman Qualifier race.

Hawaii Qualifiation

In an effort to maintain a quality professional field at the World Championship events, the following WTC standards are in place for 2010.  To earn a qualifying slot for Kona or Clearwater, an athlete must finish within 5 % of the winner’s time in their gender.

The 8% Rule on Prize Money

Pro athletes intending to race in IMUK with the intention of winning prize money should be aware of the 8% Rule applied by the WTC and now effective at all Ironman races. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that if a Pro category athlete cannot finish within 8% of the finish time of the winner in their gender, the WTC does not believe that they should be allowed to earn prize money.

Prize money will therefore not be paid to any Pro athlete who finishes more than 8% behind the winners time in their division. This will be calculated by taking the time of the winner (both Male & Female) and multiplying this time by 1.08. Any Pro athlete who finishes outside that range for their gender will not qualify for prize money. Any remaining prize money will be NOT redistributed proportionately amongst the earlier finishers in the relevant division in accordance with WTC guidelines

For further clarification please contact either the WTC or the IRONMAN UK Race Office. 

Tax Legislation and Prize Money

Under UK tax legislation IRONMAN UK Events Ltd are obliged to deduct withholding tax from payments made to any sportsperson who is non-resident in the UK. Under UK tax legisation withholding tax will be deducted where the total “payments” to any sportsperson exceed GB£1,000 in any tax year (6 April to 5 April).

“Payments” include not only prize money but also expenses paid directly or indirectly to that sportsperson or any asset transferred to that person. The current rate of withholding tax is 20% so, for example, a sportsperson falling into the above category receiving GB£5,000 prize money would actually receive GB£4,000, made up as follows:-

To comply with the UK tax legislation IRONMAN UK Events Ltd require all Pro athletes to complete a tax form when they attend Registration at the event venue. This form will require Pro athletes to state whether they are a UK resident - and therefore exempt from the dedeuction of this UK witholding tax - or not. These forms will be passed to the relevant UK tax department therefore it is imperitive that the correct information is provided by all Pro athletes.