Ironman Group announces St. George will host two championship triathlons in 2021

Overall winner Rudy Von Berg crosses the finish line of the Ironman 70.3 North American Pro Championship St. George, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2019 | File photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — St. George is set to play host to a new Ironman event this spring, bringing the city two Ironman triathlon competitions in 2021.

The Ironman Group announced Tuesday that the “Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN 70.3 St. George” has been selected to host the Ironman 70.3 North American Championships for 2021. The internationally recognized triathlon is scheduled for May 1.

St. George will join a chosen group of cities to hold the prestigious regional championship events and host some of the best athletes in the world. St. George joins Tulsa, Oklahoma, as it hosts the “Certified Piedmontese IRONMAN North American Championship Tulsa,” also in May.

“We are proud to designate these two outstanding race communities as North American Championship event hosts for 2021,” Elizabeth O’Brien, managing director of North America for The Ironman Group, said in a press release. “We believe that both St. George, Utah and Tulsa, Oklahoma offer the pedigree necessary to host such pinnacle events. We look forward to working with both cities to create unparalleled race experiences worthy of our amazing athletes during an exciting 2021 race season.”

St. George has been a staple on the Ironman circuit since 2010. The area’s scenery and views of the surrounding red rock canyons have made the community a choice destination for athletes for years. The city’s walkable downtown area features local fare and boutique shopping, and it is a two-hour drive from the nightlife of Las Vegas.

Professional triathlete Ben Hoffman makes the climb out of Snow Canyon State Park during the 2019 Ironman 70.3 in Southern Utah, May 4, 2019 | Photo by Sheldon Demke, St. George News

“Ironman is part of the fabric of our community,” Kevin Lewis, director of the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office, said in the press release. “The Ironman spirit embodies the grit and determination in our heritage, the energy and enthusiasm of our people and the rugged, enduring beauty in our landscapes. We’re thrilled to welcome the world to the land of endurance.”

The St. George championship event has become one of the most popular Ironman 70.3 events in the world, and the city will also host the “2021 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship” Sept. 17-18, marking the return to North America for the first time since 2013.

Ironman 70.3 St. George features a scenic course against the city’s iconic red rock backdrop. Athletes will begin their journey with a 1.2-mile swim at Sand Hollow State Park in Hurricane, a rolling 56-mile bike through scenic Washington County before tackling the signature climb through Snow Canyon State Park, and finishing with a 13.1-mile out and back run course up that heads out on Diagonal and Bluff Street before climbing up Red Hills Parkway through the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve before returning to the finish line located on Main Street right in the heart of downtown St. George.

May’s event will offer 100 qualifying slots and 50 Women For Tri slots to the world championship in St. George. For more information, visit the Ironman website. Athlete inquiries may be directed to [email protected].

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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