Following the sell-out of all 12 full-distance IRONMAN triathlons across the United States and Canada in 2021, The IRONMAN Group has announced the addition of a new full-distance IRONMAN event. This new event, IRONMAN Indiana, will take place in the long-standing partner city of Muncie, Indiana, in conjunction with IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie.
The IRONMAN Indiana triathlon will take place as a one-time event on Saturday, October 2, 2021, with general registration opening on Monday, January 25th.
“We are excited to bring a full distance IRONMAN triathlon to this community,” said Keats McGonigal, Vice President of Operations, North America for The IRONMAN Group.
“We have hosted races in Muncie for nearly 40 years and are thrilled to bring IRONMAN Indiana to the triathlon community and the IRONMAN triathlon series. With the long-standing history these events have built over the years, we know our athletes will be excited to race 140.6 miles across this beautiful and challenging course in the American Midwest.”
Sue Errington, Member of the Indiana House of Representatives said “I am proud to have played a small part in putting Muncie and Delaware County on the IRONMAN map. The addition of a full-distance IRONMAN triathlon to the existing IRONMAN 70.3 race puts us in the top echelon of elite US triathlon locations. I look forward to cheering on our triathletes later this year.”
The first half-distance triathlon, The Muncie Endurathon, was held in Muncie in 1980 at the same venue IRONMAN uses today. Ten years ago, this event became IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie. In 2021, after 40-plus years of collaboration with the State of Indiana, the City of Muncie and Delaware County, The IRONMAN Group will add the one-time-only full-distance event. This will take place on the same day as the IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie race on October 2, 2021.
“Muncie, Indiana is proud to have been selected as one of the few cities worldwide to host both an IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie event on the same day,” said Dan Ridenour, Mayor of Muncie.
“On October 2, 2021 we will extend our proud 40-year history of triathlon events at the wonderful Prairie Creek Reservoir facility. Along with the team and the volunteers for this event, I personally welcome all the participants and visitors to our wonderful city.”
IRONMAN Indiana will begin by taking athletes along a 2.4-mile two-loop swim in the waters of Prairie Creek Reservoir. The 112-mile bike course will wind through rural Delaware county that will be completely closed to traffic. Similar to the IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie event, athletes can expect minimal elevation gain.
To finish, the 26.2-mile run course will consist of two laps through rolling hills on the south side of Prairie Creek Reservoir before hitting the finishing chute.
General registration for IRONMAN Indiana and IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie will open at midday EST on Monday, January 25, 2021. The IRONMAN Indiana triathlon will offer qualifying slots to the 2022 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i.
