The Kinneret in Tiberias. Photo: Andreas Fjellmann via Wikimedia Commons.

Israel will host the first-ever full distance IRONMAN event in the Middle East this November.

IRONMAN announced on Monday that it will add a Middle East Championship triathlon to its 2022 calendar, which will start and finish in Tiberias. The race will kick off with a 3.8-kilometer (2.3-mile) swim course in the Sea of Galilee and a 180-kilometer (111-mile) bike route beginning south of Tiberias and proceeding to the east and north side of the Sea of Galilee to Kfar Nahum.

The triathlon will conclude with a 42.2-kilometer (26.2-mile) run course along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.

“The race is set to attract age group competitors, as well as elite level pros battling it out to be crowned the first ever Middle East IRONMAN Champion,” the IRONMAN Group, which operates all IRONMAN events, said in a press release on Monday. The race course will be “fast and flat, also making it perfect for first timers or those who are going for a personal best.”

“As it is a regional championship, IRONMAN Israel will attract the finest athletes from all across our region and beyond,” said Honorary President of the Middle East Championship Sylvan Adams. “We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of athletes from neighboring countries to the beautiful Galilee for what will surely be an historic event.”

The IRONMAN Israel Middle East Championship will take place on Nov. 25 — the same day as IRONMAN 70.3 Tiberias, a swim race that was held for the first time last year.

General registration for athletes opens on Tuesday.