These are ones I have done ranked in order of personal preference:

1. IM Canada - Whistler
2. IM Lake Placid
3. IM Canada Penticton now Challenge Penticton
4. IM Tremblant
5. IM Texas

1. Cozumel.
2. Cozumel.
3. Cozumel
i think we know where this is going... :)

---

http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

Here's my top 4:

1. IM Canada - Penticton (a classic)
2. IM Wisc
3. IM Lake Placid
4. IM CDA (except weather variability)

Not even close: IM TX, IM Lou, IM FL

---

tinman

1. Lake Tahoe
2. Boulder
3. Couer d'Alene
4. Louisville
5. Texas

Whistler. Hands down.

---

______________________________________________

I *heart* weak, dumb ass people...

I suspect the consensus will be that there is no consensus!

My top five...

1. Mont-Tremblant (by a long shot)
2. Wisconsin
3. Texas
4. Coeur d'Alene
5. Florida

I have never done Canada.

---

______________________
2016: IMCHOO

Lake Placid
Couer d'Alene (very close behind LP)
Wisconsin
Florida

---

"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

If we are simply talking about course...


IM Penticton
Tahoe
Lake Placid - Mont-Tremblant
CDA (2007 version)

---

2016:
IMFL #12
http://www.bestbikesplit.com

Whistler by far.

---

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

1. Mont Tremblant
2. Arizona
3. Cozumel

I've done IMLP, IM Wisconsin, and Texas

IMLP was by far my favorite. It was the most expensive but an awesome all-around venue.

Canada (Penticton)
Lake Placid
Wisconsin
Great Floridian
Arizona

Louisville (I'll probably be the only one that says this)
Wisconsin
LP

Favourite non WTC course.

Montreal, the Esprit.
Just a lot of fun

For 'Ironman' courses:
1. Mont Tremblant
2. Kona (OK, it is pretty hard to sign up for this. Sometimes you get lucky :-)
3. Lake Placid
4. Wisconsin

Including iron-distance races:
1. Mont Tremblant
2. Penticton
3. Kona
4. Vineman
5. Great Floridian
6. Lake Placid
7. Wisconsin
8. Canadian (iron-distance in Ottawa, Ontario)

---

run well, run happy
george

If we're focused on courses:

Kona
St. George (too bad)
Whistler
Wisconsin
CdA
Cozumel
Florida

But for total vacation / family experience plus course:

Kona
Whistler
St. George
Cozumel
CdA
Wisconsin
Florida

We'll see in September where Tahoe falls. I'm guessing behind Whistler.

Here are the ones I've done, ranked by preference of the course:

1 - IM Penticton - the most beautiful bike course I have ever ridden
2- IMLP - Close second to IMC Penticton
3 - IM Wisconsin tie with IM CdA
4 - IM Texas
5- IM Az
6 - IM Maryland
7 - Beach 2 Battleship

Have done arizona, lp, cda, penticton, imtx, florida and kona

LP is still my favorite by quite a bit....its a great venue for athletes, spectators and the after race. If you get accommodations in town and can walk to everything is the key. The bike course is tough but fair and if you are an athlete that likes a fair race it makes drafting much tougher with some decent elevation changes throughout.

the old imc course in penticton is a classic as well.....really liked that run out and back course. the one loop 180k bike is still a classic with the richter pass climb.

arizona is for someone who wants a flat draft fest easier race....same for florida so can't say either of those would hit anywhere close to the top of the list

i liked cda a lot but that was 2006 and seems course has changed......had a bit of an lp feel

imcx run i like a lot and also the location/town, but the swim in the dark/packed swamp of a lake was a downer.....i liked the bike for the most part and found it fast yet had enough rolling parts to shake it up a bit....good venue for people coming to watch on the run and swim....not so much on bike.

kona is kona.....so always special but taking away the WC part, I would still rank lp ahead of kona on most fronts

My ranking of courses that I've raced on:
1. Ironman Canada - Penticton
2. Ironman Mont Tremblant
3. Ironman Lake Placid
4. Beach To Battleship
5. Ironman Muskoka

My ranking of venues:
1. Ironman Mont Tremblant
2. Ironman Lake Placid
3. Ironman Canada - Penticton
4. Beach To Battleship
5. Ironman Muskoka

Whistler seems to be getting rated relatively high. What are the downsides to Whistler and why isn't this race sold out? Same weekend as IMLP?

Downside of Whistler if you are anywhere but the Pacific Northwest is you have to fly. IMLP, everyone drives there. There are like 50M people within driving distance of IMLP....for Whistler is is barely 5M people. Other than that Whister is slightly tougher than LP BUT I bet you if Whistler was exactly where LP was located and LP was where Whistler is located, Whister would sell out and LP would not. Its mainly a population thing.

Up side of Whistler is you are in Whistler. It is waaaaay cheaper onsite than LP with much better accommodations.

Best to worst.

Kona
Wisconsin
Louisville
CdA
St. George
Tahoe
Canada (Penticton)
Lake Placid
Utah (Provo)
Cozumel
Arizona
Florida

..

Many here rank Florida near the bottom but it sells out in minutes every year. What is so bad about Florida and if it sucks so bad why does it continually sell out so fast? BTW, also give me your opinion of Panama City Beach as a destination.

---

------------------
http://dontletitdefeatyou.blogspot.com

Tremblant