Triathlon Hot-Spot gets Full-IRONMAN: Inaugural IRONMAN Boulder Announced

The newest addition to the IRONMAN circuit will take place on Sunday, August 3, 2014. There’s a saying in the triathlon world: "Boulder is the new San Diego." For all that the mountain town has to offer triathletes, today’s announcement of the new IRONMAN Boulder is the cherry on top. 

Twilight view of Boulder and dawn of a new area of Triathlon and IRONMAN racing in ths artea. Looking toward the Rockies from the Boulder Overlook along US 36. Photo: Phil Armitage

As the 10th full-distance IRONMAN in the U.S., Boulder demonstrates IRONMAN’s continued growth in a region where health and fitness are as integral to the culture as playing outside. Registration will open at noon EST Wednesday, July 17.

"The city is already buzzing about the event," says race director Dave Christen, who directed IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder last year. A triathlete himself, Christen moved to Colorado as soon as he could after college. 

The picturesque college town has attracted countless pro triathletes with its blend of wide-open mountain roads, trail running and world-class coaches. Many Australian and European pros relocate to what some have dubbed "Pro Town" for half the year to take advantage of the altitude and prime training - IRONMAN world champions Craig Alexander and Mirinda Carfrae among them. Centrally located in the foothills of Colorado's Rocky Mountains just 35 minutes northwest of Denver, Boulder sits 5,430 feet above sea level and enjoys 300-plus days of sunshine a year.

As if pros and scenery weren’t enough, two IRONMAN partners—TrainingPeaks and Newton Running—also make their home in Boulder. Triathlon’s roots run deep here and, next August, thousands of IRONMAN athletes will be able to experience it for themselves.  

IRONMAN Boulder will take place on Sunday, August 3, 2014. Athletes will swim a single 2.4-mile loop in Boulder Reservoir. After transitioning to the bike, they’ll set out for a single-loop, 112-mile ride that heads north of Boulder to Carter Lake. The course will finish up over the flat and fast eastern roads outside of the Front Range. The second transition will take place at Boulder High School, just two blocks from downtown Boulder. Athletes will complete two loops, staged entirely on the Boulder Creek Trail, and finish on Pearl Street, with its vibe that's part urban energy and part mountain town.

Note IRONMAN Boulder will be part of the 2014 Boulder Tri Series, which also includes the 2014 IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder (June 15), and the Boulder Peak Triathlon (July 13). Registration for the 2014 Boulder Tri Series will only be available from Tuesday, July 16 at 9 a.m. EST. until Wednesday, July 17th at 9 a.m. EST. We will have a limited number of 2014 Boulder Tri Series entries. For more information on registration for the 2014 Boulder Tri Series, please visit links below.

• Ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2013/06/ironman-boulder-announced.aspx#ixzz2Wvt5ilFl
• Ironman.com/triathlon/events/ironman/boulder/register.aspx#axzz2WUidaFpw

WTS Series scores record broadcast numbers

ITU today announced record broadcast numbers in the first quarter of the 2013 World Triathlon Series season, confirming the sport’s ever rising television value.

“The increase in television exposure so early in the season is fantastic,” said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado. “What’s more is that the numbers only reflect the first two races of the season, and we have exciting, innovative courses planned in the second half of the year that will undoubtedly attract an even bigger audience.”

Following the ITU World Triathlon races in Auckland and San Diego, an independent analysis by REPUCOM demonstrated TV contacts*, audience and broadcast time have all doubled in value for each of the races.

In the first event alone, TV contacts reached over a billion contacts, which is twice the size of the 2012 Auckland Grand Final and six times the popularity of last year’s season start in Sydney.

In 2012, San Diego acquired 227 million TV contacts and an audience of 6.56 million. This year, the race produced 485 million TV contacts, attracting nearly three times as many viewers, with 15.11 million having tuned in to see Olympic gold medallist Alistair Brownlee and America’s own Gwen Jorgensen win the men’s and women’s races.

In 2012 the World Triathlon Series reached over 5.43 billion TV contacts and 1045 hours of broadcast time. At the current rate of growth, TV figures are expected to see a six fold increase from the Series inaugural year in 2009.

To continue building on this success, Casado explained, “Shorter distances are also attractive for television. At ITU, we are very conscious about this evolution and have included sprint distances at various races, as well as revolutionary courses such as the World Triathlon Kitzbühel, a unique mountain stage.”

“Mixed Relay also makes for very exciting television, as the race produces constant unpredictable lead changes. We know it would add value to the Olympic broadcast schedule, which is just one of the reasons why we are campaigning to include it into the 2016 Olympic programme.”

The spike in television numbers was made possible through commercial deals brokered by ITU partner Upsolut with 23 broadcast companies to show the WTS races live, while 25 TV partners aired ten 52-minute magazine programs in more than 160 countries.

“I anticipate our largest increase in triathlon’s media value is yet to come this year,” Casado said. “We still have four more WTS races this year, which includes a sprint course, Mixed Relay, the world’s toughest triathlon course and the Grand Final returning to the iconic Olympic venue in Hyde Park. With all of that in store, the outlook for overall television growth is very positive.”

• Triathlon.org/news/article/wts_series_scores_record_broadcast_numbers