TRIATHLON

When the Ironman 70.3 returns to Maine this year, it will be in Augusta after several years in Old Orchard Beach.

The announcement by race officials came Tuesday, setting July 31 as the date for the event.

The Ironman 70.3 is essentially a half ironman triathlon because the total distance covered in each leg is half the distance covered in an ironman triathlon. Athletes will cover 70.3 miles total, with a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run.

While the race course has not yet been finalized, the Kennebec River is the planned site of a downriver swim, and the running portion will use the Kennebec River Rail Trail.

Priority registration for designated groups opens on Monday, and general registration opens Jan. 31.

BASKETBALL

G LEAGUE: Six players scored in double figures for the Westchester Knicks, and the Maine Celtics were held to 11 points in the second quarter of a 126-99 loss Wednesday night in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Jordan Allen paced a balanced attack with 15 points for Westchester. Miles McBride had 14 points and 13 assists.

Juwan Morgan led Maine with 22 points.

BOATING

MAINE BOATBUILDERS SHOW: As it enters its 34th year, the Maine Boatbuilders Show will move permanently to the waterfront in Portland Harbor.

Last year for the first time, the show that is produced by Portland Yacht Services was held in July, rather than March, and on the waterfront rather than inside warehouses or a sports complex. Again this year, boats will be displayed in buildings, but also in the water and in water demonstrations. This year’s show will be held July 15-17 at 100 West Commercial Street, next to Casco Bay Bridge.

After the first 30 years at Portland Yacht Service’s former location on Fore Street, the show moved to the Portland Sports Complex for two years before it was canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year was the first held at the company’s new boatyard.

More information can be found at portlandcompany.com

SOCCER

WORLD CUP: CONCACAF will institute video review during the final two rounds of World Cup qualifying starting next week.

CONCACAF said that VAR will be used for the six remaining qualifiers for each of the eight teams in the final round. It also will be added for this year’s CONCACAF women’s championship, which is used to determine qualifying for the Women’s World Cup and Olympic tournament, CONCACAF’s men’s and women’s under-20 championships and this year’s CONCACAF Champions League.

• The cost of attending the World Cup final is up to 46% higher in Qatar than the previous tournament in Russia, fans discovered Wednesday as tickets went on sale.

The steep rise in the prices for the FIFA showpiece match since 2018 contrasts with the group stage – apart from the opening game – and Round of 16 seeing a reduction in the cost of the cheapest tickets, which fans can apply for online.

The most expensive tickets on general sale for the Dec. 18 final at Lusail Stadium are $1,607, up 46% from $1,100 for the 2018 final won by France.

Category-two tickets are $1,003, up 41% from $710 for the final four years ago. Category-three tickets – the cheapest available for international fans – are $604, one-third more expensive than $455 last time.

The cheapest seats on general sale internationally to watch the host nation open the World Cup on Nov. 21 are up 37% to $302, from $220 in Russia. There’s a rise of 13% for category-two tickets from $390 to $440 and a similar jump from $550 to $618 for the most expensive opening-game tickets.

ENGLAND: Tottenham staged the latest-ever comeback to win a Premier League game, getting two goals from Steven Bergwijn deep into extra time to take a 3-2 victory over Leicester.

The result moved Tottenham into fifth place in the league – only one point off the Champions League positions with games in hand.

BASEBALL

MAJOR LEAGUES: The Cleveland Guardians promoted Joe Torres to assistant pitching coach on Manager Terry Francona’s staff.

Torres spent the past two seasons as the Guardians’ minor league pitching coordinator. The 39-year-old has been credited in helping with the development of several of the club’s top young pitchers.

LUGE

POLAND: A Polish luge athlete who was seriously injured in a November training crash at the track built for next month’s Olympics plans to head back to that venue and compete in the Beijing Games.

Mateusz Sochowicz was confirmed to be part of Poland’s four-person Olympic luge team, the International Luge Federation said. Sochowicz was sidelined for about two months while recovering from a fractured left kneecap and deep lacerations on his right leg, among other injuries.