Tempe seeking to lure Ironman competition
By Alia Beard Rau / The Arizona Republic
The Tempe City Council Thursday agreed to spend $100,000 in cash and city services to bring an Ironman North America Triathlon to Tempe. The Tempe Convention and Visitors Bureau will also contribute $50,000 to the event.
Saturday, March 27, 2004
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0327Ironman27.html
good luck but 18 years ago was in 1986. Newspapers never get little details like that right.
Not the history buff, but perhaps they are referring only to IM North America. You’ll notice there is nothing about Kona…
Anyone done that Long Beach Ironman?
Sounds great to me… Tempe needs a great event to follow up on the olympic triathlon in may!
David J
ASU SUN DEVILS
Anyone in PHX area wants to ride give me an email!
This would be great…but any ideas about a possible bike course? And I just can’t imagine a 2000-person mass start in Tempe Town Lake?
G
The article didn’t say anything about the time of year the race would take place. From Mid-May through Mid-October, it’s got to be downright toasty during the day.
How about April to November? 
It’s been in the 90’s down there already!
It would have to be really early or really late to make it feasible. But as a Zonie, I’m definitely interested.
G
For the bike course I would like to see it run from ASU down South to South Mountain up to McDowell Mountain and back. I too can’t imagine them doing the swim course at Tempe Town Lake but it seems as if that’s what they would have to do. I am sure that they would love to have the run course go through downtown phoenix and then end at Mill Ave. or something of that nature. Maybe have the finish line at the end of the Mill Ave. Bridge. Maybe that would give the city the incentive that it needs to get rid of that awful grainery there. Anyways, I would love to have that kind of a spectacle in the area. Tons of Fun!
David J.
ASU SUN DEVILS
Looking for a riding partner for anytime, I am flexible!
Get rid of the Hayden Flour Mill? But that’s part of Tempe’s history! Can’t do that. I think a nice renovation and some type of commercial development would go a long ways towards getting rid of the eyesore aspect of the place. But I agree that it’s pretty ugly now.
G
Wow, living 1/4 mile from Town Lake, I will be the first to sign up. I think Town Lake is doable for a swim course. It is about 2 miles long and 1/4 mile wide. They did/are doing the half ironman already, which started from the Marina and went east, so plenty of room to the west not used.
The bike will be a bigger issue. I can’t think of any route that wouldn’t cut off access to a major freeway for a long stretch. It would probably (hopefully) require cooperation from the other cities besides Tempe which ever way they go, while Tempe reaps most of the benefits.
If this happens, Tempe should win the prize for the most triathlons/duathlons of any city. In Town Lake we have the half, 2 internationals, a swim/run series of du’s, and a bunch of mountain bike tri’s. I’ll cross my fingers but I’ve got to see that bike route.
Dan
Wow, living 1/4 mile from Town Lake, I will be the first to sign up. I think Town Lake is doable for a swim course. It is about 2 miles long and 1/4 mile wide. They did/are doing the half ironman already, which started from the Marina and went east, so plenty of room to the west not used.
I don’t know. I did the 1/2 there and there were only a few hundred people w/ wave starts. I can’t imagine 2000 people in a mass start. I guess they could do it, but that would be one violent swim.
Actually, good point, I hadn’t factored in the wave starts. Still, how wide does the course need to be? 2000 athletes, assume no one will want to be more than 100’ behind the start and each swimmer needs 5 feet square, so you get 20 people deep and 100 people wide, you need 500 feet width at the start. The lake is between 800 and 1200 feet wide. So if they plan it well there should be enough room.
The article says “sometime next year” which would make spring seem unlikely. Also, the lake was 61 degrees on March 18th. I would hope for the spring though based on the calendar of other Ironman events.
I heard a rumor…(perhaps worth exactly what you are paying for it)…that the race could be in early April, 2005, and the bike course could involve the Beeline Highway. That’s about 7 or 8 miles of urban bike course each way, leaving the rest for the Beeline Hwy. Seems workable to me.
Anyone up for a ride to Payson?
I would love to see IM Tempe/Arizona. The bike course will be difficult but I think they can make it doable. I wouldn’t take to long to head south or possibly east to get out of the more urban areas.
Anyway, I would certainly be signing up for this race regardless of when they schedule it. Being a Zonie since 1985, I have raced BMX, ridden mountian bikes and road bikes in pretty much any outlandishly high temp that Tucson has had to offer. Bring it on.
Tucker
What’s a zonie?
Hey Francois,
I only heard that a decision might be coming in the next few weeks, if all the logistics get worked out. If it is to be an April race, maybe they would want registration open a year in advance like most of their other races? I also wonder if they would not want to schedule it too close to the Cali Half Ironman (April 3 this year) so athletes in AZ and CA don’t have to choose one over the other.
We shall see, I hope.
If they head south around the mtn I’ll cheer you guys on from my pool. Margaritas for all!
a cool pool, beer, and margaritas both frozen and on the rocks in water bottles lined up for your enjoyment!
Zonie = Arizonan.