IRONMAN has announced a new full-distance IRONMAN triathlon will be added in Waco, Texas ‘providing for additional racing opportunities in the fall of this year.’
The inaugural IRONMAN Waco will take place on Saturday, October 23, 2021 and will be followed by IRONMAN 70.3 Waco on Sunday, October 24, 2021, creating a racing festival weekend.
General registration for 2021 IRONMAN Waco triathlon opens on Monday, April 19, 2021 at www.ironman.com/im-waco.
“The demand we have seen for the full-distance triathlons since the beginning of the year is just astounding and we are delighted to bring an IRONMAN triathlon to Waco, Texas, to create additional racing opportunities for athletes,” said Keats McGonigal, Vice President of Operations, North America for The IRONMAN Group.
“Creating a festival race weekend in the United States is something we have been exploring for a couple years now, so it’s exciting to see it come to fruition. Waco has proven itself to be both an exciting and popular destination for athletes and their support crews, so adding a full-distance IRONMAN triathlon to one of our most popular communities with great local partners is something that just makes sense.”
Since 2018, Waco has been the host city for the IRONMAN 70.3 Waco triathlon. Now, after two years of collaboration and conceptualizing with local officials, the IRONMAN Waco triathlon becomes reality.
In addition to joining IRONMAN 70.3 Waco for a festival weekend, IRONMAN Waco also compliments other IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 series events in Texas, including IRONMAN Texas in The Woodlands, IRONMAN 70.3 Texas in Galveston, and IRONMAN 70.3 Lubbock.
“We are excited to once again welcome back IRONMAN 70.3 Waco, which is one of the most popular IRONMAN 70.3 races in the country,” said Will Phipps, Executive Director, The Greater Waco Sports Commission.
“[We] couldn’t be more thrilled about the addition of the IRONMAN Waco event this year, which will showcase all the great things Waco has to offer to a new group of athletes. Our city and community are proud of the successful partnership with The IRONMAN Group.”
IRONMAN Waco will begin by taking athletes along a 2.4-mile swim in the waters of the Brazos River. Once out of the water, athletes will take on a 112-mile bike course, taking participants on a scenic ride through rural Central Texas, including the Waco wetlands. To finish the race, athletes will take on a 26.2-mile run course that crosses the historic bridges that decorate the Brazos River and the surrounding Waco area.
‘Over a memorable race weekend in Waco, Texas, athletes and their families can enjoy mountain biking or hiking in Cameron Park, shopping in downtown’s Magnolia Market, or strolling through the city’s cultural and historic district. They can walk across the historic Suspension Bridge, visit the home of Dr Pepper (which was developed in Waco), or head to Cameron Park Zoo to see lions, otters, and meerkats. The Waco Mammoth National Monument is a fossil site home to the bones of Columbian mammoths.’
General registration for the inaugural IRONMAN Waco and IRONMAN 70.3 Waco is now open. The IRONMAN Waco triathlon will offer qualifying slots to the 2022 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i.
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