Ironman brand owner World Triathlon Corp (WTC) has confirmed that Boulder, Colorado, has been selected to host the tenth race in the US Ironman Series in 2014. After some speculation in recent weeks, the full distance Ironman Boulder is landing in the multisport mecca of Colorado and is scheduled to take place on Sunday 3 August 2014.
“Boulder is a great triathlon city and Ironman has a rich history here through our Ironman 70.3 Boulder event and our partnerships with several Boulder based companies like Newton Running and TrainingPeaks,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of WTC. “We are excited to bring an Ironman triathlon to this amazing city and to continue to help advance the sport here.”
“Boulder is the training ground for both past and present world champion triathletes,” said Dave Christen, Race Director for Ironman Boulder. “Because of its proximity to Denver, Boulder is the ideal Rocky Mountain region addition to the Ironman triathlon national calendar. The city is already buzzing about the event.”
One of 30 events in the global Ironman Series, Ironman Boulder leads athletes through a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run on a course that covers a variety of Boulder’s scenic areas. The race will start with a single loop 2.4 mile swim at the Boulder Reservoir, which also hosts the first of two transition areas.
The bike course will head north of Boulder onto a single 112 mile bike loop that includes Carter Lake. The second transition will be at Boulder High School just two blocks away from downtown Boulder. The two-loop, 26.2-mile run course will be entirely on the Boulder Creek Trail. The finish line will be on the famous Pearl Street Mall and will provide athletes and spectators alike with a memorable completion to the race.
“Boulder is an athletic community that embraces elite sports and challenging competitions,” said Boulder City Manager Jane Brautigam. “Ironman represents our community values and affords amateur athletes, many of whom are Boulder residents, an opportunity to demonstrate their extreme mental and physical endurance. We’re proud to see Ironman bring this iconic race to our community.”
“We are thrilled at the chance to host the Ironman Boulder triathlon in 2014” added Sean Maher, Executive Director of Downtown Boulder Inc. “This race is the perfect fit for Boulder’s iconic outdoor brand and lifestyle. We’ve put a lot of time into research and planning and we are excited about the economic impact that Ironman can bring to our area and local businesses. Bringing this race to Boulder is a win/win for all involved.”
Ironman Boulder will have a US$75,000 professional prize purse. Additionally, the race will offer 50 age-group slots to the 2014 Ironman World Championship on 11 October 2014 in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i.
Registration for Ironman Boulder will open at noon EST on Wednesday 17 July on www.ironman.com/boulder. The Ironman 70.3 Boulder event will take place on 15 June 2014 and the Boulder Peak Triathlon will be on 13 July 2014.
