Question for those who have raced on multiple north american Ironman courses. What is your favorite full distance course? Registration season is coming up and while most are not instant sell outs there are still a few where you need to sign up pretty quick.
Thanks
These are ones I have done ranked in order of personal preference:
IM Canada - WhistlerIM Lake PlacidIM Canada Penticton now Challenge PentictonIM TremblantIM Texas
.
Here’s my top 4:
Not even close: IM TX, IM Lou, IM FL
Whistler. Hands down.
I suspect the consensus will be that there is no consensus!
My top five…
I have never done Canada.
Lake Placid
Couer d’Alene (very close behind LP)
Wisconsin
Florida
.
If we are simply talking about course…
IM Penticton
Tahoe
Lake Placid - Mont-Tremblant
CDA (2007 version)
Whistler by far.
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:
Including iron-distance races:
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:
My ranking of venues: