I’d love it to be Tallinn, my hometown. I do live in Colorado now, but visiting all the friends and racing WC in the hometown would be amazing.
However it is next door to Lahti, Finland and I don’t think Ironman with keep 70.3WC in europe two years in a row, let alone in roughly the same location. Late august Tallinn weather will be about the same as they had it in Lahti. Most probably rain and chilly.
This is the last page (filtered for 70.3) from https://www.ironman.com/races, the page after 2024 Taupo. The race info links to the 2023 race. Is the 2025 70.3 WC going back to Lahti?
Hope Not !!!
lets go back to vegas !!
I’d love to see it in MT, they just lost the full so that “may” open up a slot in their calendar to host a 2nd late season event.
i have no intel to this gossipy prediction BUT I could see MT as a PTO destination with Subaru as a sponsor.
THIS! Tremblant is a fabulous venue - park the car and only need to walk around to everything after arriving. I loved racing here back in 2014 (actually raced in Tremblant four years in a row). Great, challenging course, especially adding the run to the top of the pedestrian village. Had hoped to get back for the full again, but this would be the next best option.
Messick had an interview with Babbit in Nice in the last day or so where he said 2025 is decided (I think 2026 too) and that they are great destination races.
It’s interesting that he rattled off a list of places they’ve been in the past and he didn’t mention St George. Which to me suggested… I wonder if StG is on the list for 2025 or 2026
since he avoided referencing it.
MT would be a pretty good 2025. I can’t imagine going back to EU or to Asia in 2025 -but then again… you’ve got Nice World Champs s in Europe, so it makes sense to keep their team there so Spain makes sense.
Rio 70.3 Worlds sounds pretty cool too.
Messick had an interview with Babbit in Nice in the last day or so where he said 2025 is decided (I think 2026 too) and that they are great destination races.
MT would be a pretty good 2025. I can’t imagine going back to EU or to Asia in 2025 -but then again… you’ve got Nice World Champs s in Europe, so it makes sense to keep their team there so Spain makes sense.
Rio 70.3 Worlds sounds pretty cool too.I sincerely hope that Ironman’s premier 113km distance event in 2025 is at least 4 weeks before their IMWC(W) Nice or at least 4 weeks after IMWC(M) Kona. Otherwise one or other of the 113km fields will be diminished.
But I have previously said that this race will no longer have the status of a “world championships”: the middle distance will have been taken over by the PTO Tour races: one designated for amateurs as the World Triathlon sanctioned World (Long Distance) Championships.
And the top 25 pros will have too many PTO races to want to attend this, wherever it is staged.
So enjoy Taupo in 2024: last of its kind.
Messick had an interview with Babbit in Nice in the last day or so where he said 2025 is decided (I think 2026 too) and that they are great destination races.
MT would be a pretty good 2025. I can’t imagine going back to EU or to Asia in 2025 -but then again… you’ve got Nice World Champs s in Europe, so it makes sense to keep their team there so Spain makes sense.
Rio 70.3 Worlds sounds pretty cool too.I sincerely hope that Ironman’s premier 113km distance event in 2025 is at least 4 weeks before their IMWC(W) Nice or at least 4 weeks after IMWC(M) Kona. Otherwise one or other of the 113km fields will be diminished.
But I have previously said that this race will no longer have the status of a “world championships”: the middle distance will have been taken over by the PTO Tour races: one designated for amateurs as the World Triathlon sanctioned World (Long Distance) Championships.
And the top 25 pros will have too many PTO races to want to attend this, wherever it is staged.
So enjoy Taupo in 2024: last of its kind.
If PTO had the staying power beyond 2024 you might be right. As is, I expect, even before the end of 2024 season we will see the PTO offering paired back from whatever non-existent offering they are selling now. By 2025, it will be even less, and by 2026 it will be gone. This is the most likely scenario, not because I dislike the PTO, but because start-ups fail more than succeed, and start-ups against a massive incumbent pretty much always fail.
So realistically, if 70.3 worlds is marked for decline, expect not to really see the major effects of it until 2026. Take this year, for instance. Obviously the field was “weaker” as a result of the PTO Asia having taken place. If that event didn’t take place, think of all the other athletes who would have showed up (or been ready to deliver if they did show up) in Lahti.
But despite the weaker field, it was still a great race, Age groupers loved it, and the pro stories that came out of the event were gold.
You gotta love Lionel, he can get DQ’d and still be the main talking point of the race so much that all the pros will be talking about it in the Nice pro briefing and thinking about him -every- time they make a pass in the future.
Has Messick or Ironman indicated when we will hear where 2025 is? Also, if you qualify for Worlds, can you defer? For example, I probably couldn’t afford Taupo, but could afford St. George or Mont Tremblant in 2025. Thanks!
Messick had an interview with Babbit in Nice in the last day or so where he said 2025 is decided (I think 2026 too) and that they are great destination races.
MT would be a pretty good 2025. I can’t imagine going back to EU or to Asia in 2025 -but then again… you’ve got Nice World Champs s in Europe, so it makes sense to keep their team there so Spain makes sense.
Rio 70.3 Worlds sounds pretty cool too.But I have previously said that this race will no longer have the status of a “world championships”: the middle distance will have been taken over by the PTO Tour races: one designated for amateurs as the World Triathlon sanctioned World (Long Distance) Championships.
So enjoy Taupo in 2024: last of its kind.
If PTO had the staying power beyond 2024 you might be right. As is, I expect, even before the end of 2024 season we will see the PTO offering paired back from whatever non-existent offering they are selling now. By 2025, it will be even less, and by 2026 it will be gone. This is the most likely scenario, not because I dislike the PTO, but because start-ups fail more than succeed, and start-ups against a massive incumbent pretty much always fail.
So realistically, if 70.3 worlds is marked for decline, expect not to really see the major effects of it until 2026. Take this year, for instance. Obviously the field was “weaker” as a result of the PTO Asia having taken place. If that event didn’t take place, think of all the other athletes who would have showed up (or been ready to deliver if they did show up) in Lahti. Messick’s comments on this: https://youtu.be/NjceTjxPdfk?t=516
More top male athletes missing were missing because the Lahti race was only 14 days before THE IMWC, not because of Singapore.
Rio sounds good - in July 2025: https://www.ironman.com/im703-rio-de-janeiro (2024 dress rehearsal)
Ya but think about Blu’s performance. Jason West, Sam Long, etc etc. If they weren’t chasing PTO, Lahti would be a very different race.
Anyone know when this is likely to be confirmed for 2025? 2024 season is starting to take shape & if I need to be doing IM 70.3 events to try to qualify it’d be handy to know! 😂
Anyone know when this is likely to be confirmed for 2025? 2024 season is starting to take shape & if I need to be doing IM 70.3 events to try to qualify it’d be handy to know! 😂I seriously hope there is an available/open communication channel between PTO and IM to integrate IM’s 70.3WC into the PTO Tour schedule.
In 2024, the late date for Taupo means it will not clash.
But in 2025, as in 2024, there will be a PTO Tour race every month April to October. The two races which those two entities may wish to deconflict is the IM70.3WC and the specific PTO Tour race designated as the World Triathlon sanctioned LD (100k) world champs for amateurs.
By 2025, after the success of the PTO Tour races and 2024’s World Triathlon sanctioned 100k world champs however, IM’s 70.3WC may no longer really be ‘a thing’ other than a marketing tool for IM to attract athletes to race 70.3 around the world with the carrot of a start at the “IM’s 70.3WC”.
Anyone know when this is likely to be confirmed for 2025? 2024 season is starting to take shape & if I need to be doing IM 70.3 events to try to qualify it’d be handy to know! 😂I seriously hope there is an available/open communication channel between PTO and IM to integrate IM’s 70.3WC into the PTO Tour schedule.
In 2024, the late date for Taupo means it will not clash.
But in 2025, as in 2024, there will be a PTO Tour race every month April to October. The two races which those two entities may wish to deconflict is the IM70.3WC and the specific PTO Tour race designated as the World Triathlon sanctioned LD (100k) world champs for amateurs.
By 2025, after the success of the PTO Tour races and 2024’s World Triathlon sanctioned 100k world champs however, IM’s 70.3WC may no longer really be ‘a thing’ other than a marketing tool for IM to attract athletes to race 70.3 around the world with the carrot of a start at the “IM’s 70.3WC”.
To be honest I don’t see PTO stealing the throne at amateur level in the short term.
I think the PTO WC will be like a Championship Samorin ad the top amateur will fight for the 70.3 WC.
Different thing for PROs: they go where the money are, obviously
PTO is and will be a non entity at the amateur level for a while yet.
My question is if PTO even survives into 2025. They announced their Series B round in Dec 2022, so have burned through one year of cash “investing” in a Series. From the outside, I don’t see how this is being monetized, either for downstream investors to come in for further growth or of this to become cash flow positive the way it is. At least from the outside, it seems like they will need another round of financing before 2024.
Perhaps the angle is with that round, they buy Ironman and merge the thing, because Ironman DOES have a business model that makes money of some kind. I don’t really see how PTO becomes self sustaining in their current biz model, other than doing the VC path and keep bringing in new investors at a higher valuation each time.
From the outside PTO feels like a pipe dream to get to cash flow positive. Ironman already generates cash and there is intrinsic value to the overall brand (at least at a business/valuation level). Not sure what assets PTO really has other than hope and promise (which is the case of most venture backed companies really)
Not sure what assets PTO really has other than hope and promise (which is the case of most venture backed companies really)
The loyalty of the top 40 triathletes in the world has to be worth at least a few thousand bucks right?
Last year the announced sept 22 I think so I expect by the end of the month.
But in 2025, as in 2024, there will be a PTO Tour race every month April to October. The two races which those two entities may wish to deconflict is the IM70.3WC and the specific PTO Tour race designated as the World Triathlon sanctioned LD (100k) world champs for amateurs.
Except that the 70.3 did conflict with more than a few other races in 2023 as it is. It definitely conflicted with Singapore, and the IMWC in Nice. You could also argue that anyone who was peaking for Lahti may or may not have also raced in Milwaukee.
Even then, the depth of field was better than you’d expect - even if a relative unknown took the win.
Not sure what assets PTO really has other than hope and promise (which is the case of most venture backed companies really)
The loyalty of the top 40 triathletes in the world has to be worth at least a few thousand bucks right?
The loyalty of the top pros is useful if they can leverage the entertainment package to raise another VC round. Ironman does not need loyalty from pros because it has loyalty and revenue from 1000s of age groupers that gives it a sustainable biz model.
If we were running Ironman we would not care about what pros show up to 70.3 world’s or who shows up at PTO. Whoever shows up at 70.3 world’s, Ironman packages up as the new champ. Champions are replaceable. Ironman does not need the marquis pros to be the champion they just package up anyone because enough decent people will show up and their biz depends on age groupers revenue. PTO needs some of the best pros because they have no business without pros (by definition of their name)
Still no word on this, eh?
Marbella has moved to October for 2024 and dropped the ‘Tri Club Championship’ title
At a guess, so they in the right time frame for the 70.3 finals in 2025?