70.3 Worlds to be a 2 day affair
In 2017 the Ironman 70.3 World Championships will return to the USA and will be held over two days, with professional and age group men and women racing on separate days. The race venue itself has not been announced yet but 3 finalists have been selected by Ironman – Chattanooga, TN, Lake Placid, NY and St. George, UT.
Through 2013 the race was only held in the USA in either Clearwater, FL or Las Vegas, NV, but in 2014 the race venue moved to Mont Tremblant, Canada and this year the 70.3 World Championships will be held in Zell am See – Kaprun, Austria. In 2016 the prestigious race will travel to the Sunshine Coast in Australia and then in 2017 it will come back to the United States.
“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,” said Andrew Messick, CEO of Ironman. “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.”
The biggest change will be that the race will be held over 2 days, with professional women and age group women racing on one day, and professional and age group men racing the next day.
“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,” added Andrew Messick. “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.”
No indication has been given yet when the final host city for 2017 will be named.
