This one is my back yard. But late May is too much of a gamble weather wise for me. I hate racing in the heat and it can easily be mid 90s by then.

I wish they'd move it up a month. Then I'd definitely do it.

Kerrville is awesome, and so is their race.

Confirmed.
Austin is dead!

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Group Eleven – Websites for Athletes / mikael.racing / @mstaer

I'm in the DFW area and my FB friends had the opposite reaction - this was seen as a positive change. Being closer to DFW helps, but there was no love for that Austin course and for most of my friends, the city's attractions aren't a huge draw for a 70.3. Most will drive down Friday night or Saturday morning, and back Sunday night. That's one thing I love about the Galveston and Buffalo Springs 70.3s, decent courses and I don't even have to take a day off work. But I agree with GMAN, this will primarily draw from TX and thus likely won't draw more than Austin did.

So when is Ironman going to pull it off the 2018 schedule (as TBD) and announce Waco?

On a related note, I heard that Miami has not renewed its contract with WTC and the Miami 70.3 might be done (also listed as TBD on the WTC 2018 schedule).

IRONMAN announced today the addition of a new event in Texas: IRONMAN 70.3 Waco, set to take place in 2018. The event is set to take place on Sunday, October 28 with general registration opening December 5, 2017. This new event will take the place of IRONMAN 70.3 Austin on the 2018 calendar.

IRONMAN 70.3 Waco will begin with a 1.2-mile swim through the Brazos River. The 56-mile single-loop bike course route will then take athletes through beautiful Central Texas's rural roads, past the Waco Lake, and through the Waco wetlands. The first 20 miles will include a gentle, gradual climb with a steady, fast descent returning to downtown Waco, making for a speedy and flat finish into the second transition.

The 13.1-mile double-loop run course crosses over the Brazos River and the city’s beautiful and historic bridges a total of five times. Athletes will make their way through the "Gem of Waco," Cameron Park, encountering a short climb before heading back to the river walk and crossing the Washington Street Bridge where they will begin their second loop. A final run over the bridge, athletes will then travel along the river trail to a finish line on the oldest suspension bridge in the Southwest.

"We have a beautiful river, excellent roads, and one of the largest and best city parks in the nation," said Kyle Deaver, Mayor of Waco. "Our charming city has a sincerely warm and welcoming personality that the IRONMAN athletes across the country will fall in love with."
Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/...t.aspx#ixzz4yXB2s7Hu

Any idea if this will be wetsuit legal? What about currents?

I’m thinking of doing this one as a firs time 70.3. Can anyone tell me what the water is like in this area. Is it clean? Do people usually swim here? Thank you.

Slow-to-No moving Texas River so not going to be especially clean. There is another event TriWaco in the summer so worth taking a look at reports to get an idea. If it rains there can be debris build up etc, but typically kayakers and paddle boarders (not sure that helps answer your questions)

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Founder: BestBikeSplit
Amazonian

Thank you.

I am wondering the same thing. A few minutes ago I did my registration so I am committed now. I am also doing the TriWaco event in July so it will be nice to get a head start getting to know the area and the flow, especially with how new I am to all of this.

Tri Waco is a really good race, well organized, and fast. The Brazos will be warm, with little current.

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Attacking this day with enthusiasm unknown to mankind.

Do you know what the water temps usually are in late October?

Sure don't. I've only been in that water in July, and it's WARM.

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Attacking this day with enthusiasm unknown to mankind.

Just an FYI, they posted today that there are less than 50 entries remaining.

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

All sold out now from what I am hearing. Now they are focusing on getting the volunteers lined up.

Well I guess I’m not doing that race then lol. It’ll be Oilman for me if I still feel like racing after IMMD.

Any locals, or anyone familiar with the Waco bike course?

Now that they have posted the course on the site, I'm thinking of heading out there to ride and run the course. Does anyone know if the bike course would be a safe weekend ride? Safe=little traffic, traffic familiar with cyclists on the road, etc.

Thanks in advance.

I live in Austin (1.5 hrs away from Waco) and temps for neaby bodies of water are well into the 80s. It's hot as balls here right now (pretty sure our streak of 100* days is above 60) and doesn't cool off until Halloween. I will be surprised if water temps dip below 80*. Don't count on wetsuit for this one...

https://www.facebook.com/...os/1899604496744601/

Here's the link to the course overview video. Around 11:00 minutes there are some roads he recommends not pre-riding.

It's all relative, I lived there for 6 years and the "busy" roads on that course have far less traffic than almost any road I could find in Austin or DC when I moved away.

Here's a video tour of the bike course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DicGioV9S5o

What is your thoughts on how competitive this race will be? Not including pros but for amateurs.. Being its at the end of most peoples season, pretty close to Kona as well. It also being the first year they are having it do you think it will draw some fast people? I feel like races like Oceanside and Saint George get some real strong guys, just wonder what every thinks about the field quality at a new race will be like.