Published May 26, 2015 03:37PM
70.3 Worlds Return To U.S. In 2017, 3 Finalists Announced
St. George currently hosts the Ironman 70.3 North American Championships. Photo: Paul Phillips/Competitive Image
Ironman today announced that the 2017 Ironman 70.3 world Championship will take place in the United States. Three cities, all of which currently host Ironman or 70.3 events, have need named as the finalists to host the event. Chattanooga (Tennessee), Lake Placid (New York) and St. George (Utah) will be vying for the opportunity to host what will, for the first time, be a two-day event – with the professional women and age-group women racing on one day and the professional men and age-group men racing on the other.
“With the global explosion of Ironman 70.3 races, we expect approximately 4,500 athletes from around the world to qualify for the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, which is too many for a single day of racing,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of Ironman in the press release. “We are focused on providing more opportunities for women to race with us globally and, after consulting with members of our Women For Tri Board, felt that having a separate race for female professional and age group athletes would be a strong step forward for our sport.”
The Ironman 70.3 World Championship began an annual global rotation in 2014 in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada after being hosted by Clearwater, Fla. from 2006 to 2010 and in Henderson, Nev. from 2011 to 2013. This August, the event will be held in Europe for the first time, in Zell am See-Kaprun, SalzburgerLand, Austria. The 2016 race shifts to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time, in Queensland, Australia’s Sunshine Coast.
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“The rotation of the Ironman 70.3 World Championship has elevated the race and allowed athletes from all over the world to experience a World Championship event at fantastic locations,” added Messick. “The finalists for the 2017 championship are all tremendous hosts to Ironman races and provide courses well suited for an event of this caliber. These cities also provide our athletes and their families world-class hospitality and endless scenic and entertainment options.”
Read the complete release and learn more about the finalists at Ironman.com.