Ironed Out
Global Athletes Head to Redding for IRONMAN…
No one yet knows who will cross the finish line first in August’s IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California triathlon. But one thing is certain—Redding and the North State are already victorious.
“This is a big win for our area,” says Tim Bauer, sports and group events director of Choose Redding Lodging. “The IRONMAN brand puts your brand on the map and solidifies Redding as a place to go.”
The iconic race that features a swim, bike and running component will be held Aug. 16. The 1.2-mile swim will be in the waters at Oak Bottom in the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area before the 56-mile bike ride meanders through Whiskeytown south through Igo and Happy Valley before finishing at the Sundial Bridge. The 13.1-mile run will traverse a course along the Sacramento River Trail.
“Being involved with IRONMAN puts us in elite company,” says Danny Orloff, Visit Redding’s tourism marketing director. “It showcases what we have and the capabilities of what’s possible here on an international stage. It’s as good as it gets and they’ll see what we all know. It’s up to us to be good tour guides.”
An estimated 2,500 athletes and their support teams will fill Redding’s hotels and eat at our restaurants providing an economic boom for Shasta County. Bauer says the full IRONMAN can bring in up to $15 million to a community while the 70.3 series can funnel from $10 million to $12 million from hotel, dining and auxiliary businesses.
Athletes from 37 states and 11 countries already are registered for the event. Bauer admits it wasn’t an immediate “yes” from the IRONMAN folks, but site visits sold what most locals already knew – that Northern California is an outdoor mecca capable of hosting this type of event. “One of them stayed close to the Sundial Bbridge and he took his morning run and found it on his own,” Bauer says. “He thought it was so cool.” The race will not only be held in 2026, but the following two years as well, meaning the 2028 race will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the inaugural IRONMAN. “They will go hard globally (promoting it),” Bauer says. “Not a lot of companies get to celebrate that anniversary.”
Most long-time North State residents know August can be quite hot. But organizers have plans to combat a scorcher. The swim will begin at 5:52 a.m. and most finishers should cross the tape between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. “We will offer cooling towels and the finish is by the river,” Bauer says.
Civic officials working on the IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California got a chance to see the Oceanside race at the end of March and what to expect five months from now.
Bauer says the IRONMAN team will return to Redding in April to finalize the course. “For us to compete, it took a lot of gentle reminders,” Bauer says. “As a resident you know the potential. We’re the heartbeat of this area. We’re excited to be along for the ride.” •
www.ironman.com/races/im703-northern-california
