Kelly O’Mara, of the Triathlonish newsletter at Feisty Media, speculates possibly with good insider info: “I’m also waiting to see if 2027 70.3 Worlds ends up in the U.S., especially if it ends up in California.”
So where in California might a 70.3 World Championship go? My own pick would be Long Beach. T-1 near Mother’s Beach (aka Horny Corners), Swim around Naples Island, run to the parking lot across the street at Alamitos Bay Beach. Bike though downtown Long Beach to the Queen Mary then out to Huntington Beach on a closed lane of PCH to T-2 in Downtown LB. Then run on a course that takes in the Long Beach Grand Prix course, to the Queen Mary and out to Mother’s Beach and back.
Lots of hotels, convention center space, spectacular ocean views for the finish line. The only drawback is the course would be super-fast, not the sufferfest that is Nice.
Yes, indeed. If they could get the location twice in one year, it is a sufficiently brutal Worlds-worthy course. The TV coverage of the annual spring race has been really good.
Only issue, and I am racing there in 2 months for my third time, is what is going on with the roads in the base. They have been getting very rough the last few years.
to have a race in long beach it would be $1000 an entry. It would be a later season race like santa cruz, oceanside too early and difficult to change permits for base access
One assumes that the LA Olympic Committee will be organising a ‘test event’ at Venice Beach that summer. I suspect the LA powers that be would not contenance two in such (time) proximity.
Quite the course you laid out there Sharon. I’m guessing that it would cost at least 5X to secure vs an Oceanside one, or some other up in wine country with a ton of open roads. In other words, not gonna happen… (-;
It would make sense to do 2 Oceansides if available, turnkey course with lots of history(and the most profitable). Isn’t there a race up in Santa Cruz with a decent course?
It’s a Marine Corps base. Those roads regularly carry tanks and heavy military trucks. I have actually heard heavy weapons fire during past races and seen brass bullet casings in the gutter on that first really big climb.
I would strongly support a return to the old Vineman half course! I did it several times when it was the women-only Barb’s Race. Just a polite swim start we old ladies excusing each other waiting for the gun. And that portion at the turnaround on the swim during drought years where you stand up and just walk around the buoy. Even a return to Santa Rosa would be great.
I always thought Oceanside would be an unbelievable venue for 70.3 worlds! I would love to do it but I really, really struggle with cold water, and would barely be able to pedal getting onto the bike with cold temps dripping wet and freezing- so the current date has been a no-go for me to even consider. This would add even more tot he race and take away the biggest barriers.
It’s possible for 70.3 worlds you might get a different course that doesn’t use the military base. I could imagine the military not being super enthused about letting people from all over the world come onto the base for 2 days straight. It seems like there’s some great riding out there not using the base from the strava files of pros who were there for a bit leading into the race. That would also make it a more attractive event to not have your brains rattled and bolts/bottles shaken loose.
I should’ve clarified I’d love to do an early September 70.3 worlds in Oceanside, and was hoping they’d be a bidder as it’s definitely a worthy vendor and would have pretty high interest globally but especially within the US. Would be happy with a different bike course and largely the same run course, current bike course if they got approvals would be ok too. Just bring your torque wrencj!
Last year was my first time in Oceanside and I am going back this year. The roads were not as bad as my mental image from all the stories I heard. Although, a mountain bike would have been helpful on the back side of the commissary.
The story I heard on the roads, weather true or not I do not know, is that there have been increased military exercises with tanks on and crossing the roads.
In any event, I love that course and do believe it is World Championship worthy.