Modifications Made to 2009 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 Course in Clearwater

Ironman has announced modifications to the 2009 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 course.  The fourth annual event will take place on Saturday, November 14th in Clearwater, Florida.

Professional athletes will compete for a $100,000 prize purse.  The top 10 professional male and female finishers and each age group champion will automatically qualify for the 2010 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3, taking place on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010.

The athletes will be taken along a course that includes a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run.

To further reduce traffic for residents and businesses along the bike course, while also offering athletes an enhanced event experience, the following changes will be implemented:

Athletes will utilize the same bike course until they reach the East Lake Corridor, located at approximately mile 23.  Once on East Lake Road, athletes will continue heading northbound, traveling further north than in 2008, to Trinity Boulevard.  Once they reach Trinity Boulevard, athletes will make a right turn and head east for approximately one mile to the turnaround point. 

Following the turnaround point, as athletes are heading southbound on East Lake Road, they will cross the Bayside Bridge and will now turn right on Roosevelt Boulevard instead of 82nd Avenue North, as in past years.  From Roosevelt Boulevard, athletes will travel west to Belcher Road where they will make a right turn and head north toward transition on the same route that was used in 2008.

“The course touches various areas of the county, and our goal is to make ongoing changes that will decrease traffic impact and improve the event experience for residents, business owners, athletes and spectators," said Manager, Traffic Operations Division with the City of Clearwater, Paul Bertels. 

Last year’s event drew more than 1,200 athletes with 6,000 out-of-state visitors, according to research conducted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the economic impact reached more than $5 million.
 Clearwater Beach and surrounding areas will also be showcased during the NBC broadcast of the event, which will air in early 2010.

For more information on Ironman, go to www.ironman.com

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