Ironman tickets sell out in 14 minutes

Registration for the challenge opened at 1pm yesterday and by 1.15pm all 1,600 spaces had been snapped up.

Organisers today said they were over the moon at how popular the Staffordshire event was proving to be.

Ironman UK spokeswoman Waveney Thomson said: "We sold out in 14 minutes. There were just over 1,600 spaces.

"We had 8,000 people who were pre-registered. It has been by far one of the fastest selling in Europe.

"People have been really excited about us having a new venue and its a flat course which people seem to be keen on.

"People have been longing and waiting for a flat but fast course and because it's a stunning setting, it really fits the bill really.

"We are over the moon."

She said places for next year's Ironman Copenhagen event sold out within five hours and for Ironman UK it was 50 hours.

Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire will include a 13.1 mile run from Shugborough Hall in Stafford, 56 mile bike ride and a 1.2 mile swim at Chasewater Country Park near Burntwood.

The total miles covered add up to 70.3.

The exact route of the bike ride was revealed last week.

The 56-mile single-circuit bike course along main roads and smaller country lanes, which will be one of the fastest, flattest courses on the Ironman European Tour with an elevation of 2,058ft, will link the swim with the run.

Riders will start at Chasewater Country Park near Burntwood before travelling through Longdon Green and up to Kings Bromley.

They will then head up to Yoxall, through Needwood and Hanbury before riders head across to Marchington, near Uttoxeter, down past Bagots Wood, towards Rugeley, through part of Cannock Chase before the finish line at Shugbrough Hall near Stafford.

Thousands of spectators and elite athletes from across the country will descend on the county for the prestigious event on June 14.