Just wrapped up the weekend in Door County, WI for the Door County Triathlon. Had a blast and we had perfect weather.
It seemed pretty empty out there on Sunday, and it looks like there are fewer than 400 finishers in the results for the half. The race itself is a real gem with a festival atmosphere in Murphy Park throughout the weekend. The 1-loop, challenging and interesting run especially stands out against the soulless/ boring multi-loop courses that Ironman trots out for their North American circuit. The bluff at mile 10 is no joke.
Seemed that the sprint was well attended Saturday and there were a fair number of relay teams in the mix. But I remember this race having 2x as many finishers in the past. I hope the race makes it… but it seems like 70.3 levels are down across the board?
I did the race back in 2016 and it had 700 finishers (at least per my race log). I also remember signing up at midnight on new years eve/day because it would out shortly after opening registration. That was back when signing up for IMs usually involved volunteering though. The saturation in terms of # of races (and the unfortunate consolidation in race companies) really seems to be driving down the number of races at each event.
Agree that it’s a great race and it’s one that I hope continues. It’s on my short list of races I’d like to do again.
Did the Sprint on Saturday and the Relay B/R on Sunday. I heard there were a total of 1,800 signed up for the two events at packet pick up. Morning of the Sprint we heard there were 1,000 there that day. Would seem to indicate 800 for the 70.3 compared to the 400-525 that finished (relay had around 125-147). DNFs? now shows?
Good race–well organized, great weather. I hope it continues to succeed.
Des Moines, Steelhead, Ohio, Michigan, Madison, Muncie— there are a lot of IM-branded 70.3 races in the upper Midwest. Tulsa, Memphis, and Chattanooga are within a day’s drive for many midwesterners too. Combine the surplus of IM races with declining numbers in triathlon as a whole and I think that’s your explanation for the lower participation in Door County.
I was looking at Madison the other day and surprised to see you can still register for the full distance (and 70.3). My sense is that used to be among the most popular of IM’s races.
327 Individual finishers (395 in 2022, 453 in 2021)
38 team finishers (49 in 2022, 50 in 2021)
But the sprint race continues to get bigger:
892 individual finishers (829 in 2022, 750 in 2021)
72 team finishers (77 in 2022, 62 in 2021)
I assume the revived Milkman Triathlon took a good chunk of the half racers, even though they are about a month apart. Hopefully they figure out a way to turn the numbers around for the half. The whole event overall is incredibly well organized and run and I’d hate to see registration numbers start to really affect its quality…
It’s priced higher than an Ironman branded event and with no WC options; VERY expensive lodging and while some love the venue, not much to talk about other than the cherries. For an independent race the price is out of line. 70.3s are flourishing, and they see drops in numbers; look in the mirror. The local sprint/oly races have big fields this year…it’s time they see reality and drop the entry fee.
Are you sure it is higher in price? IM branded 70.3 are >$400. I see registration for Door topped off at $385.
But yeah, lodging is one of the deterrents for me. But I like the race a lot. It’s well run, course is okay (not that scenic despite being in a great area of WI), and decent food (and I think they had beer). I remember it used to sell out super early like maybe within week after opening.
Are you sure it is higher in price? IM branded 70.3 are >$400. I see registration for Door topped off at $385.
But yeah, lodging is one of the deterrents for me. But I like the race a lot. It’s well run, course is okay (not that scenic despite being in a great area of WI), and decent food (and I think they had beer). I remember it used to sell out super early like maybe within week after opening.
$385 is really high for an Indy. They always sold out in the past and now that price structure is tough to justify unless it’s IM. You’re right, the course is meh, especially the bike and I’m not impressed by the biggest finisher medal in the sport. Make the price affordable because the resort location makes lodging and food outrageous. I can do most indy 1/2s for less than $225, so not on my radar anymore.
Are you sure it is higher in price? IM branded 70.3 are >$400. I see registration for Door topped off at $385.
But yeah, lodging is one of the deterrents for me. But I like the race a lot. It’s well run, course is okay (not that scenic despite being in a great area of WI), and decent food (and I think they had beer). I remember it used to sell out super early like maybe within week after opening.
IM Florida 70.3 in December this year is $325. $358 with Active fees so $385 seems a bit high.
Prices vary a bit from region to region and I was just looking at what’s available still in midwest. 70.3 Muncie is $379 and 70.3 Michigan is $419. Not sure how much 70.3 WI was since it is sold out.
I know chatt 70.3 prices jumped for next year to $409 (did it this year and saw complaints on FB on price hike).
Also just clicked on Augusta and its $445.
But at least for most of my tri friends in Chicagoland, I don’t think registration cost for Door is a significant deterrent. Cost of everything else factored in is way more… but I guess you can camp it if you reserve early enough. I forgot that I had thought about that once
It’s priced higher than an Ironman branded event and with no WC options; VERY expensive lodging and while some love the venue, not much to talk about other than the cherries. For an independent race the price is out of line. 70.3s are flourishing, and they see drops in numbers; look in the mirror. The local sprint/oly races have big fields this year…it’s time they see reality and drop the entry fee.
A few inaccuracies need to be cleared up:
The Ironman 70.3’s are NOT flourishing. The Midwest editions are down an average of 52% over the past 3-5 years.
Door County Triathlon’s Half Iron numbers have been down but no more than the rest of the industry. The sad reality is that the DCT is now one of the three largest non-IM 70.3 races in the US. Meanwhile, the 1,000 participant Door County Sprint triathlon hit its maximum capacity on May 1st this year, two months prior to the event, and the Door County Kids’ Triathlon broke 300 entrants for the first time.
Proceeds from the non-profit DCT benefit local charities rather than a for profit entity in Tampa, Florida.
There would be little benefit to dropping the entry fee of the event from $300 to $200 when the overall costs for the average participant include $1,000+ in lodging, meal and travel costs. The event would still be viewed as “expensive.â€
Some independent triathlons (e.g. Milkman) can be positioned as low cost, low frills options. We don’t have that option with Door County due to the high costs of bringing in non-local staff and producing an event in a tourism market during peak season.
It’s the height of naive consumerism to suggest that an event in a superior venue, with a superior course, offering superior amenities, and a superior post-race experience can’t charge the same price as the name brand market leader. I’ve been to lots of independent steak joints that serve a better meal than Ruth’s Chris and charge as much or more.
It’s an irony of this sport that triathletes will lambast Ironman on this forum and elsewhere for how poorly they treat their own audience with refund policies, pricing, and overall experience…but then rush to get the corporate brand logo tattoo’d on their bodies the minute they “earn the right†to do so.
I’m a big fan of the DC Tri. It make me a sad watching the numbers of race go down every yr after remembering getting on like right at midnight on New Years eve to get a spot before it sold out. I’m not a fan of the new bike course but I understand why it was done. It is really the cost of lodging that make the race so expensive not really the price of the race itself. The post race food is one of the best around and park is so close.
The biggest thing that confuses me is how a can race that is capped at 1,000 people for each event be 90% sold out when there are only 330 finishers.
Also, how many years in a row is Alfredo going to win it. lol
…I’m not a fan of the new bike course but I understand why it was done….The biggest thing that confuses me is how a can race that is capped at 1,000 people for each event be 90% sold out when there are only 330 finishers…
NEW BIKE COURSE: I hated the new double-loop bike course when we launched it in 2021. We were forced to do so by the new regime at the Sturgeon Bay Police Department which will not commit a single officer to this event. While some may not like it, I’ve received zero complaints and the new route has resulted in average finish times that are 6-8 minutes faster than those of the previous course.
EVENT CAPACITY: Although our physical capacity is 1,000 athletes for each event, I typically have to order shirts and medals by May 1st. Once submitted, those quantities define the final capacity for the event. I can’t wave a magic wand and make medals and shirts appear in a week. Also, any triathletes who say they’re fine waiting weeks after the event for shirts and medals to arrive by mail are liars.
Prices vary a bit from region to region and I was just looking at what’s available still in midwest. 70.3 Muncie is $379 and 70.3 Michigan is $419. Not sure how much 70.3 WI was since it is sold out.
I know chatt 70.3 prices jumped for next year to $409 (did it this year and saw complaints on FB on price hike).
Also just clicked on Augusta and its $445.
But at least for most of my tri friends in Chicagoland, I don’t think registration cost for Door is a significant deterrent. Cost of everything else factored in is way more… but I guess you can camp it if you reserve early enough. I forgot that I had thought about that once
I’ll toss Michigan Titanium pricing out there as I was curious and hadn’t looked at our competition… we are about 3 weeks out from the event and the current price is $325 for the 70.3.
Also, just wanted to back up what Sean had said about 70.3 participation being down. We are seeing the same thing and it was a frequent topic while I was chatting with other race directors at Endurance Exchange this year.
The Ironman 70.3’s are NOT flourishing. The Midwest editions are down an average of 52% over the past 3-5 years.
Where does that 52 percent number come from? I’m not saying it’s wrong, but I’m wondering how it was calculated.
I’m interpreting your statement to mean that the 2022 numbers for IM-branded 70.3s in the Midwest were down 52% from 2019 and/or 2017. Or are you saying participation is down 52% in 2023?
How does this account for the fact that there are more IM 70.3s in the Midwest than before? If our basis of comparison is five years ago, then IM has added both Michigan (2019) and Des Moines (2021). That’s in addition to the older races in Steelhead, Muncie, Ohio, and Madison, which essentially replaced Racine in 2017 and is sold out this year. Milkman, though not an IM-branded race, returned in 2023 and IM held a 70.3 in Tulsa, which has since been discontinued.
Is it possible that the absolute decline is less dramatic than 52 percent? Perhaps the participants are spread over a greater number of races? Triathletes in the Midwest have an awful lot of choice these days.
Madison 70.3: Down 43% in 2022 vs. 2019
DesMoines 70.3: Down 51% in 2023 vs. 2021
Steelhead 70.3: Down 36% in 2023 vs. 2019
Michigan 70.3: Down 50% in 2022 vs. 2019
Muncie 70.3: Down 47% in 2022 vs. 2019
Ohio 70.3: Down 36% in 2023 vs. 2019
Average drop of above events is 44%. If you compare farther back, you’ll see an average drop of 52% or greater.
As for the number of IM events impacting this, yes, they are cannibalizing their own events by over-saturating the market. And insiders know that for most of their events they need 2,000+ triathletes in order to cover their overhead. Non-IM events can and will survive with far fewer participants due to their lower overhead and absence of “minimum corporate profit targets.â€
A market correction is coming and you’ll soon have fewer choices as to where you can compete.
It’s the height of naive consumerism to suggest that an event in a superior venue, with a superior course, offering superior amenities, and a superior post-race experience can’t charge the same price as the name brand market leader. I’ve been to lots of independent steak joints that serve a better meal than Ruth’s Chris and charge as much or more.
It’s an irony of this sport that triathletes will lambast Ironman on this forum and elsewhere for how poorly they treat their own audience with refund policies, pricing, and overall experience…but then rush to get the corporate brand logo tattoo’d on their bodies the minute they “earn the right†to do so.
Sean Ryan
Race Director
Door County Triathlon
Disdainfully lamenting the “naïve consumerism” of your potential customer base strikes me as counterproductive.
When you say that people rush out to get an IM tattoo the minute they “earn the right”-- that’s kind of a cheap shot, isn’t it? I don’t have a tattoo, but I think people who finish a 70.3 or full distance earn the right (notice the absence of air quotes) to display their pride however they see fit.
As for the irony of being both tatted up and complaining about IM, why assume the people who complain about IM are the same ones getting tattoos? Maybe there’s not a lot of overlap in that Venn diagram. FWIW, my friend has US Marine Corps tattoo and has been known to criticize the way the military is being run.
As for the superiority of Door County, I cannot offer a firm opinion because I have not raced it. I’ve heard the area is lovely. But I have to say that IM, for all its faults, puts on some pretty good races in the Midwest. Des Moines is an entirely closed bike course in a very friendly city. Madison is a great course in a fun college town. And, for me, it’s more enjoyable to race with 1,000+ others than a few hundred in an expensive destination. So, maybe, just maybe, people choose to do IM-branded races because they have something to offer.
I’m not saying DC isn’t a great race and I’m sure it’s the better option for some. What I’m saying is that it strikes me as supercilious to assert triathletes display “naïve consumerism” because they fail to recognize Door County is fairly priced, clearly superior option.
Madison 70.3: Down 43% in 2022 vs. 2019
DesMoines 70.3: Down 51% in 2023 vs. 2021
Steelhead 70.3: Down 36% in 2023 vs. 2019
Michigan 70.3: Down 50% in 2022 vs. 2019
Muncie 70.3: Down 47% in 2022 vs. 2019
Ohio 70.3: Down 36% in 2023 vs. 2019
Average drop of above events is 44%. If you compare farther back, you’ll see an average drop of 52% or greater.
As for the number of IM events impacting this, yes, they are cannibalizing their own events by over-saturating the market. And insiders know that for most of their events they need 2,000+ triathletes in order to cover their overhead. Non-IM events can and will survive with far fewer participants due to their lower overhead and absence of “minimum corporate profit targets.â€
A market correction is coming and you’ll soon have fewer choices as to where you can compete.
I don’t disagree that IM’s scheduling of events in the Midwest is head scratching and quite possibly cannibalizing. I mean, why are Madison (half and full), Michigan, and Muncie all within three weeks of each other? Steelhead and Des Moines are only two weeks apart and the now dead Tulsa race was two weeks before Des Moines. That many races clustered together doesn’t seem sustainable.
400 is actually a very healthy number. The peak 2010 triathlon numbers made for unweildy races, especially if there weren’t hills to disrupt draft packs. But lower than that…
Door is a bit out of the way for major population centers, a lot of the other halfs will definitely have an effect.
Frankly I think triathlon the industry is doing ok. COVID hit just as it was in a major downswing, so IMO it is actually somewhat stable.