St. George gets the nod to host 2021 Ironman 70.3 World Championship

May 1, 2019 Utah Channel 3

ST. GEORGE — St. George has been selected as host for the 2021 Ironman 70.3 World Championship triathlon, according to an announcement Thursday.

The city, along with Chattanooga, Tennessee, were finalists for the honor. It was the second time the two cities have vied to host the prestigious race, with Chattanooga getting the nod in 2017.

St. George is already the current host of the Ironman 70.3 North American Pro Championship and will welcome its 10th Ironman or Ironman 70.3 triathlon May 4.

The selection team spent March 25 and 26 touring the St. George area and meeting with city and Washington County leaders. Their visit culminated with an overview of the current Ironman 70.3 St. George course, after which the committee thought they were heading out to dinner, Ironman official Diana Bertsch told St. George News at the time.

Instead the committee was brought to Town Square Park where the gathered crowd enthusiastically greeted them, many wearing Ironman branded gear, cycling and triathlon kits.

“It was a great surprise, and it made us all very happy,” Bertsch said.

One of the keys to hosting a successful world championship event, Bertsch said, is having a strong sense of community support, which is something she said she felt in St. George.

This is a developing story. Check back later today for more details.

Email: news@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews