Well that's good news! Wales is definitely on my bucket list and I will get to it within 5 years or less.

Meanwhile, despite living in Florida I've already done IMCDA, Boise 70.3 and Lake Stephens 70.3. Looks like I've killed off the PNW in a clean sweep. :(

Coeur d'Alene would draw almost 3000 entrants( but it did have a high DNS rate) before the move to August, I I really think that's what killed it.

Sunset Year for IRONMAN Coeur d'Alene

After very thoughtful consideration, 2017 will be the sunset year for IRONMAN Coeur d'Alene. In consultation with the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce, we have decided that 2017 will be the final year for this race—a part of our race portfolio since 2003.

If you were thinking of racing IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene at some point in the future, we encourage you to register for the 2017 edition, to which we've added 10 Kona slots to commemorate its last year. It has been a marvelous 14 years and we want to make August 27th a celebration of all the memories that have been made on this course.

We would like to thank the local community for their support over the years, and look forward to continuing our partnership with the community of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. for many years to come in hosting IRONMAN 70.3 Coeur d’Alene.


Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/...r.aspx#ixzz4jujvc0SK

IMUK contract with Bolton expires after this year's event. Do you have any idea whether they are going to extend that or move to a new venue in England?

Interesting comments in the comments section. "We're too small of a town and the traffic is a mess for a week." Most small towns I've lived in were perennially excited by a rumor that "a Red Lobster was going to open up." Less smaller towns, like I imagine CDA to be, would be thrilled to have a mess of traffic for a week.

$100,000 seems relatively cheap for an event that will fill hotels and restaurants with out-of-towners for a couple days. I suppose it depends on how much of that $100k is in-kind.
It's a boon for some of the Chamber's members. Diddly squat for others. All depends on their budget and what their members want. It's all about convincing the members of the chamber who don't benefit directly from it to support the chamber in that expenditure. It's not politics. It's good stewardship by the Chamber to consider the matter. It's up to the supporters in the chamber to make their case.

I worked in radio in small town Iowa. I know most of those chambers would bend over backwards (with near total support of all their members) to get RAGBRAI to come through. Even if it was just for breakfast or lunch, let alone an overnight stop.

I did it in 2004, my first IM. Sad to hear, it was a great race and fun course.

Ironman events can a bit of a drain on the local Chamber of Commerce or local government depending upon the 'deal' they've worked out with WTC. It may be that the local Chamber decided not to cough as much cash support as in the past coupled with a decline in racers and/or sponsors.

It'll be missed but there will be no shortage of 140.6 events for the foreseeable future.

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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. -- A fake Albert Einstein "quote"

Heh yeah, as long as you're not out west.

Coeur D'Alene, like Penticton, is a summer resort area, it's doesn't need an Ironman in August to fill its hotel rooms.

Roger that. I'm woefully unfamiliar with that part of the world.

Drop in registration numbers was a combination of:
- explosion of more North American IM events
- AirBnB and hotels big price gouging during IM week compared to other venues
- bad weather years making people nervous (a couple really cold years, and the massive heat wave in 2015)
- change from the old bike course that ran up through the woods near Hayden to the current one that's a slog on the highway and exposed.

Moving to August increases the chance for hot weather, so it just piled on to the other factors.

Some people do complain about the traffic and blocked off streets (which I think was part of the reason they changed the current bike course). But these are the same people that complain about anything and everything. I've lived in the Spokane/CDA area for 2.5 years and a large majority of people enjoy the event coming to town.

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Matt

If I were a race director, I would consider that a plus. I have all the entry money but fewer people to deal with on race day.

$100,000 seems relatively cheap for an event that will fill hotels and restaurants with out-of-towners for a couple days. I suppose it depends on how much of that $100k is in-kind.
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$100,000 is cash. In kind services layers on top of that. That's the standard ask for WTC these days it appears as per my previous post it is what IM Wales host town is paying on their 5 year renewal. This said, I cannot remotely see Whistler paying that fee. They could fill that weekend slot of Ironman with an event in a blink of an eye. $100,000 is a lot of money when infrastructure costs are ever inflating after decades of neglect. 5 year WTC contract or $500,000 toward sewer upgrades or community centre upgrades? It is a tougher call I think for communities then we may think.

Some towns give more in kind than others. I recall first visiting Penticton for racing in 2001 and 2003 i would get a free parking voucher for anywhere in town at registration. When I came in 2007 and 2008 to race that voucher was gone. I distinctly recall thinking, "well that's cheap. I'm spending $3,000 at least here this week..." Interesting the small details go a long way to feeling welcomed by a community.

disclosure: I moved to Penticton in 2013. I stopped doing triathlon 2017. #irony

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@rhyspencer

I have done 8 Ironman races.

Wisconsin: still alive
Whistler: maybe dead
Coeur d'Alene: dead
Muskoka: dead
Lake Tahoe: dead
Mont Tremblant: still alive
Louisville: still alive
Boulder: maybe dead

I might be the kiss of death. I am glad that I got to do some of these races. They were pretty spectacular.

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Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it. John D. Rockefeller Sr.

$100k is peanuts for Whistler, and I would be shocked if it wasn't more. They would make that back on the hotel tax in one night.

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Unless there is an event that doesnt ask for $$, doesnt close the highway, and bring 3000 people. Like Spartan; MTB; Buskerfest; conventions.....seriously WTC needs Whistler not the other way around. The following weekend from IMC is Wanderlust. 10,000 people.

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@rhyspencer

But they don't need to... which is Rhys's point. Whistler is booked up all the time and they don't need IM to put asses in the seats. Mountain bikers still outnumber triathletes by 5 to 1 during IM week.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

I don't know. From the first year of IM Whistler, I've been able to book a hotel room in almost any of the high end places without any issues. One or two may not have vacancies but I typically have no problem finding a room. If they were extremely busy every weekend, you would not expect it to be that easy. So, maybe the high end places in Whistler appreciate IM coming in to town

I'm amazed they haven't come-up with an Ironman Scotland yet; would appeal to foreign entrants way more than Bolton.

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29 years and counting

No Ironman, but the first 70.3 there is in a few weeks.

http://www.ironman.com/...h.aspx#axzz4jzGtTjJl

Really sad new. I absolutely loved the CDA area and tough the race was tough, it was a great day. Sad to see it go.

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the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning

True, but for now there's still the Ironman Canada, Whistler version, Ironman Santa Rosa (Santa Rosa? Really WTC? really?) and Penticton. I haven't paid Penticton much attention since I did the inaugural race there though. Beautiful venue imo

I'm likely out of the triathlon game** now so my vote wouldn't matter, but honestly I'd have kept CdA and Vineman if they'd have asked me. (and it's really a good thing they didn't.)

I always liked the full CdA race. Maybe you all can do a double loop of the 70.3 ... just for fun. ;)


** Torn meniscus in left side due to osteoarthritis degeneration. That's going to seriously limit my running so I'll be picking races very carefully from here on out. I really wanted to do the return of Wildflower next year though.

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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. -- A fake Albert Einstein "quote"