I'd guess Santa Cruz since I think they were in the mix before Tahoe got the nod. San Diego would be pretty sweet also!

I am sure hoping for one, or at least any North American ironman in June or early July. Santa Cruz won't allow a race between Memorial Day and Labor Day

I raced Santa Cruz 70.3 Extremely narrow quarters on Highway 1 and that was with 1600 racers for a 70.3. If you had cyclists on there for an extra several hours during higher traffic times you are asking for trouble. IMO. However, I would totally sign up because it is 4 hours away and the weather is pretty damn consistent of around 65-80 degrees :) close proximity to San Francisco which has a good tri community as well. Perfect race weather, close to a major airport and great scenery on the bike and run would certainly help. Just would be wary of Highway 1

I would love a full IM race in Bend, Oregon. Also, people have argued against the feasibility of an Ironman Vineman Full but I would not be terribly surprised (or necessarily pleased) if it happenned.

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http://dontletitdefeatyou.blogspot.com

I think that bringing Vineman into the Ironman fold would make sense.

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Gary Mc
Did I mention I did Kona

I don't think even WTC weight could pull these permits.... especially after the CHP had a good look at the cl#ster on HWY 1 with 1400 athletes. And as last weekend showed, many would be local within a days drive, not really making that palatable to local businesses.
However, money always talks.....

They already own the half. This makes all the sense in the world. Only issue is that time of year it can get HOT in the valley.

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/kj

http://kjmcawesome.tumblr.com/

I am thinking of racing USAT Du Nats at Bend next June, but I don't think the location is suitable for IM. I haven't been there yet, but it doesn't appear to have the infrastructure to host a race that large. Further, it would just cannibalize participants from Whistler and CDA since they are in the same regional market. Neither of those are selling out so why would WTC stick another one in the same area?

Rumors have started on an IM Napa Valley. That could be wishful thinking, a new name for Ironman Vineman, or perhaps a threat to Vineman that if they don't sell, IM will stick in a competitor in their back door. If they do create an alternative in the same vicinity as Vineman they we all know what will happen to the full distance version of that race.

The Chinese don't own Vineman 70.3. Russ just has licensing deal with them. I sure hope they don't buy him out as they would just ruin a good thing. The bike course goes nearly right by my house and is crowded enough!

Dave Latourette, who posts on here quite often, believes that the course is too small to support a huge field on a Full. Dave is close to the race and I believe he is involved with it somehow (announcer for it?). So, if WTC was ever going to buy the race they would have to be OK with a smaller field. 1,000-1,500, maybe? That being said, it would sell out in minutes every year like the 70.3 does.

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http://dontletitdefeatyou.blogspot.com

Correct I do the race announcing at Vineman but also involved at other levels (coaching programs / camps) but not involved in any day to day stuff


RE: IM Napa Valley? .... no infrastructure to swim anywhere there ... Lake Berryessa won't work .... so bad rumor

RE: VIneman becoming an Ironman? .... IMO, if it were to ever go that route I don't think it can handle over 1500 starters (MAYBE 1750?) ... because of narrow river swim swim / alot of narrow roads
* Swim would need to be controlled rolling start and done as 1 loop OR a long (2mi loop) and a short .4 loop (which would be very cool actually) ... there is really good water north of the shallow section at the 70.3 ...
* Controlled rolling start would alleviate some of the bike traffic on narrow roads ...
* I also believe there would have to be some slight course re-structuring and more municipal support to accommodate more than the Full Vineman already does

It would take A LOT of cooperation in a lot of places for it to happen ...

re: Santa Cruz ... IMO if that could have been an IM, it would have been 3 years ago ...

Best,

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Dave Latourette
http://www.TTENation.com

I am not sure how Vineman would be possible as a "big" Ironman event. Currently, the full distance swim is two laps, and they can do that because the field is small enough. How could you do that particular two-lap swim with multiple wave starts? It would be one huge cluster-f* to have 2000+ athletes in the Russian River all at once.

Why would you want to ruin it by doing that?

Anything is possible! (TM)

Agreed 100% - keep Vineman 70.3 just as it is! Such a good race.

I did the Full Vineman last year and the community support (on the course) was outstanding. I have to believe that the communities on the course would be stoked to have the event be bigger but who knows...

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http://dontletitdefeatyou.blogspot.com

I know it'll never happen but I'm still rooting for IM SLO. Would be a beautiful course and descriptive of my abilities

what about doing something off the CA coast that has the bike section go into the hills (east)? In the late '80s Monterey bay tri used Fort Ord for the bike. I recall traffic to be minimal.

North of Santa Cruz there are roads that could take off east from Hwy 1 that could be interesting.

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I saw this on a white board in a window box at my daughters middle school...
List of what life owes you:
1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

Luckily any race with an ocean swim counts me out.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I think there's the HITS Napa valley?

I did that half on the same course (run concurrently as the full), and the course is beautiful, with rolling hills, although at least when I did it there weren't a lot of participants around me, although that made for a super fair no-draft bike! (I got a bit lonely on the run, though.)

oh, Dave buddy, the ocean is so awesome. The salt water, clean water, the beach. What's not to love? I get excited just thinking about it!

Even in Monterey Bay, with the kelp forest, no big deal. Really. Would I lie to you?

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I saw this on a white board in a window box at my daughters middle school...
List of what life owes you:
1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

I know there's La Honda from San Gregorio. Is there a road from Pescadero, as well? Have them end up in the Silicon Valley? That would be interesting: you could get Old La Honda and/or Kings Mountain for hills, and then loop around Skyline to Canada Rd.

I also would love, love, love for a race to go through Big Sur. Any race. But I just need to admit that it's never going to happen.

What about the LA area? Do the swim in South Bay, bike up and down PCH, ran down Santa Monica Boulevard along the LA Marathon course (but in the opposite direction)?

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https://www.strava.com/athletes/10327392

A neat idea would be to start in the water by Half Moon Bay, then ride Tunitas etc into Palo Alto, then do a marathon around there and woodside. That would be crazy popular, but may be hard/impossible to get the swim permits for.