CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Sports Committee and the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau have announced that Ironman chose Chattanooga as the premier Southeast destination to host their 11th full race in the Ironman U.S. Series set for Sept. 28. Athletes will compete in Ironman Chattanooga on Sept. 28, and then will compete annually through September 2018.
“With the rapid growth of triathlon in the Southeast, it is the perfect time for us to expand and add Ironman Chattanooga to our 2014 event calendar,” said Andrew Messick, chief executive officer of Ironman. “We selected Chattanooga as it is a beautiful city and a premier outdoor sports destination. We are thrilled to bring Ironman here and to partner with the city to deliver a top level event.”
General registration for Ironman Chattanooga will open at noon, EST, Wednesday, September 4, on <www.ironman.com/chattanooga>.
One of more than 30 events in the global Ironman Series, Ironman Chattanooga leads athletes through a 2.4-mile swim in the Tennessee River with ample spectator vantage points alongside Chattanooga’s famous Riverwalk, a two-loop 56-mile bike course with scenic farmland and mountain views and 26.2-mile run on a course that will showcase beautiful downtown Chattanooga, the South Side, Riverview and the North Shore. Athletes can expect a fast, rolling course with friendly sights and faces along the entire run.
Ironman Chattanooga will have a $25,000 USD professional prize purse and will be a P-2000 race. Additionally, the race will offer 50 age group slots to the 2015 Ironman World Championship taking place on Oct. 10, 2015 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
“It’s an honor to be chosen as a destination city for the Ironman triathlon. Chattanooga was a natural fit for this event and while we are already home to a thriving athletic community, this event will help put Chattanooga in front of a whole new sector of athletes,” said Andy Berke, mayor of Chattanooga.
For more information on the Ironman brand and global event series, visit <www.ironman.com>.
