World’s top athletes return to acclaimed St. George Ironman 70.3 U.S. Pro Championship

L: Swim finish, transition to bikes. Sand Hollow Reservoir. Ironman 70.3 St. George, Utah, May 4, 2013. Center: Kirk Nelson from Utah, mens pro Ironman 70.3 St. George, Utah, May 4, 2013. Right: 6:32:41 to sweetheart victory. Ironman 70.3 St. George, Utah, May 4, 2013. | Left and center photos by Chris Caldwell, right photo by A.J. Mellor, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — St. George is just a week away from welcoming thousands of athletes for this year’s Ironman 70.3 St. George U.S. Pro Championship.

Ben Hoffman wins the title, Ironman St. George, May 5, 2012 | Photo by Todd Tischler, St. George News
Ben Hoffman wins the title, Ironman St. George, May 5, 2012 | Photo by Todd Tischler, St. George News

St. George is again attracting a sold-out field of Olympians, world champions and top professional athletes along with a host of amateur athletes who will race alongside the pros on Saturday, May 3.

It really is the return of the champions,” said Sports Marketing Director Kevin Lewis, with the St. George Convention and Tourism Office. “The athletes love the challenge and beauty of this early-season race.”

The lineup of professionals features some of the biggest names in the sport, including 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Jan Frodeno; American Olympian Sarah Haskins; Ironman world champions Terenzo Bozzone, Julie Dibens and Andy Potts; and previous St. George champions Meredith Kessler, Brent McMahon, Ben Hoffman and Heather Wurtele.

It’s rare to have this collection of the world’s top pro triathletes in one place; they only come together for a few races a year,” Lewis said. “St. George is clearly a favorite destination.”

Ironman 70.3 St. George woman pro winner Meredith Kessler of San Francisco on the right. Ironman 70.3 St. George, Utah, May 4, 2013 | Photo by Chris Caldwell, St. George News
Ironman 70.3 St. George woman pro winner Meredith Kessler of San Francisco on the right. Ironman 70.3 St. George, Utah, May 4, 2013 | Photo by Chris Caldwell, St. George News

St. George has quickly flourished as one of the most popular Ironman locations because of its intense course, unmatched scenery and tremendous community support. It’s one of only five 70.3 championship destinations in the world, and this year has been selected for national television coverage.

The course offers spectators and athletes unrivaled vistas and variety as they make their way through a 1.2-mile swim at SandHollowState Park, a 56-mile bike ride through SnowCanyonState Park and a 13.1-mile run that ends in downtown St. George.

The St. George Ironman 70.3 promises to offer the best in athleticism and competition with 2,800 registered athletes from 25 countries. Utah is the most represented state with 1,024 athletes. The oldest competitor is 75 years old; the youngest is 18.

Resources

Ironman 70.3 St. George | website and Facebook.

For a course map, visit: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman-70.3/st.-george/athletes/course.aspx#axzz2zkuSCciA.

Related Posts

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.