Just as Interbike relocates from Las Vegas to California, beginning in 2011, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship event will move to Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada, located just minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip.
Since its inception in 2006, the championship race in the global Ironman 70.3 Series has been held in Clearwater, Florida.
“We’re grateful to the city of Clearwater for being a fantastic host to the Ironman World Championship 70.3 over the past five years,” said Steve Meckfessel, World Triathlon Corp’s Chief Operations Officer.
“Clearwater’s sports-minded spirit, enthusiasm and dedication of resources have been critical to building the Ironman 70.3 Series. We are excited to return to the community to introduce the inaugural 5150 Clearwater event taking place on 12 November.”
Slated for 11 September 2011, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship begins with a 1.2 mile swim in Lake Las Vegas at Lake Las Vegas Resort.
Next, athletes will embark on a challenging 56 mile bike through Lake Mead National Recreation Area that includes several steep climbs. Participants will finish with a 13.1 mile run through Henderson’s scenic residential areas with views of the Las Vegas Strip.
“It is an honour to join an elite list of cities that have hosted an international event of this calibre,” said Andy Hafen, Mayor of Henderson. “We look forward to welcoming the thousands of athletes, their families, friends and fans from around the world to our premier city.”
“It is a privilege to host the Ironman World Championship 70.3,” added Frank Lowery, Race Director.
“This course will be labelled as one of, if not the toughest, in the United States. The challenging race, coupled with endless entertainment options and its proximity to the famous Las Vegas Strip, will provide the ultimate event experience for athletes.”
In 2011, 60,000 athletes will participate in the Ironman 70.3 Series, which consists of nearly 50 events in locations such as China, Germany, South Africa and Switzerland. Participants in the World Championships will range in age from 18 to 70-plus and will represent all 50 states and nearly 50 countries.
The Ironman 70.3 World Championship event will offer a prize purse of US$100,000 for distribution among the top professional male and female finishers. More than 2,500 volunteers from the local community will support the event.
