ST. GEORGE – A showdown is coming to St. George in May, and it’s going to be hot. Ironman returns for its fourth year – this time with the Ironman 70.3 St. George competition, that is, a half-Ironman. Half or whole, St. George appeals to Ironman triathletes and this year’s race promises the finest.
Champion Pros
Just this past week, announcement was made that Australian Craig Alexander will be competing in St. George. Paul Jewkes, Internet Marketing agent for the St. George Convention and Tourism Office hosting the competition, made the announcement when he received a confirming email from Alexander’s agent. Alexander is “probably the ‘winningest’ athlete in the world currently,” Jewkes said. He is a three-time Ironman Kona world champion (full Ironman), two-time Ironman 70.3 world champion, and more.
Ironman St. George champion Ben Hoffman will also be back for the Ironman 70.3 St. George. Hoffman won the competition in St. George’s third and final year of the full Ironman in 2012.
Leading the female pro competition is Leanda Cave, from Tuscon, Ariz., an Ironman Kona world champion.
Also, Heather Wurtele, two-time Ironman St. George champion. Heather and her husband Trevor Wurtele, a pro competitor also competing, they live and train in Southern Utah six months out of the year and are famliarly embraced and local now.
Ironman St. George winner Meredith Kessler will also be back for the Ironman 70.3 St. George.
Visit the atozion ironman website to view a listing of pros from around the world.
Remarkable registration response
Registration opened for the Ironman 70.3 St. George on June 6, 2012, with 2,500 competitor slots available. As of today, there are 2,423 paid registrants, with only 77 slots remaining. St. George is proud of the response, Jewkes said the Ironman 70.3 competitions don’t usually sell out, there being many more of them.
This year’s competition already has 1,015 registrants from Utah, compared to approximately 300 for the full Ironman; Utah will be the most represented state in this competition, with California thus far registering 455 competitors, Colorado 160, Arizona 149, Nevada 121, Texas and Washington each 41.
And athletes are again coming from around the world: Thus far, 60 are registered from Canada, 58 from Mexico, 8 from the United Kingdom, 5 from Germany and 4 from Australia.
Because this is not a qualifier race, anyone can register to participate – as long as slots remain, a very slight 77 slots open as this report is published.
Event Recap
What: Ironman 70.3 St. George
When: May 4, 2013
Website with everything you want to know: From A to Zion, Ironman 70.3 St. George
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @JoyceKuzmanic
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