St. George, Utah, to host 2021 70.3 Worlds

November 12, 2020 0 By JohnValbyNation

St. George, Utah, has been selected to host the 2021 Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Qualification will begin in July of 2020 with an estimated 200,000 registered athletes from around the world expected to try and qualify at one of the 110 events in the global Ironman 70.3 series.

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In addition, each age-group winner at the 2020 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Taupõ, New Zealand, will automatically qualify for the 2021 70.3 World Championship.

“Our course showcases some of the most dramatic landscapes on the Ironman 70.3 circuit. The powerful combination of scenery and terrain is backed up by an energetic community that’s exhilarated to host such an iconic event. Athletes who have raced here rave about the experience. Those who haven’t are about to find out why,” says Kevin Lewis, Director of Washington County Tourism. 

Ironman have also announced the introduction of a new full-distance Ironman triathlon that will rotate between a series of cities across North America, beginning with St. George in 2020. The rotation will bring host cities a full-distance Ironman every three years with St. George again hosting the full Ironman distance event in 2023.

The 2020 and 2023 events will also be designated as the North American Championship and general registration for the 2020 event will open on Tuesday, May 21. As it will be designated the Ironman North American Championship, the event will have an elevated professional prize purse and offer 75 age-group qualification slots to the 2020 Ironman World Championship.  

St. George, will continue to put on 70.3 events in the other years (2019, 2021 and 2022), giving athletes the chance to prepare on the same courses. an

“Utah continues to enhance its reputation as the State of Sport by attracting world class sports events and executing on its sport and Olympic Legacy strategies,” said Jeff Robbins, President and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission. “St. George is the perfect setting to host six events over the five-year term of this agreement with Ironman. This includes the 2021 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, which will bring thousands of competitors and guests from over 100 countries to Utah. The Utah Sports Commission is excited to support these world class events as the presenting sponsor,” said Robbins.

The course has historically begun in the beautiful Sand Hollow Reservoir before embarking on a bike course through picturesque Snow Canyon State Park prior to a run through the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. 

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