The Land of Endurance

Photos provided by “Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office”

The land of endurance is starting to become a wellknown theme for the St. George area inside the IRONMAN community. It not only speaks to the unique, timeless landscape of the area; but a challenge that the landscape represents to IRONMAN competitors across the globe. St. George, Utah is set to be one of the first to resume an IRONMAN 70.3® race this May following a year of IRONMAN race cancellations due to COVID-19. Thousands of athletes have waited with great anticipation - knowing that this will not only be the first race in two years - but a race that requires a strong measure of physical and mental endurance to accomplish. The event will start at Sand Hollow Reservoir with a 1.2-mile swim, then transition to a 56-mile bike through Hurricane, Washington, Santa Clara, Ivins, and St. George. Competitors then finish with a 13.1-mile run in downtown St. George. Top professional and age-group triathletes from across the country will test their mettle in the shadows of the stunning red rock canyons in St. George. The challenging course with breathtaking views of American Southwest scenery is an athlete-favorite that attracts the best in the sport and electrifying spectator support. Named the North American Pro Championship race, professional and agegroup athletes find out what they are made of, from the sound of the gun all the way to the finisher chute. This year will be one to remember with not only one race happening in May, but a second in September; the IRONMAN 70.3® World Championship-St. George, Utah.

In 2019, St. George was announced as the 2021 host city for the world championship. Athletes compete in various IRONMAN 70.3® events across the globe to qualify for a spot

in the IRONMAN 70.3® World Championship held each year. This culminating event rotates globally to different cities worthy of such a prestigious race. In this second race, 7,000 athletes from 110 countries and all 50 states will converge on the southern Utah landscape to compete against the best in the world in what is known as one of the most challenging courses in the world.

This year marks the 11th year since IRONMAN was first introduced to the land of endurance and is set to be the most memorable. Being chosen for a world championship race is not just about having a challenging course; it’s about the entire community.

The area has embraced IRONMAN, evidenced by the thousands of volunteers that make the event possible. St. George has been known to have one of the highest volunteer-to-athlete ratios in all of IRONMAN, contributing to the many athlete choice awards the race has been awarded. Two races, thousands of athletes from all over the world, thousands of volunteers and supporters…for many in Southern Utah, 2021 will go down as the year of IRONMAN.V

For more information, contact Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office at 435-634-5747