TULSA — Tulsa was announced as the host city for the 2020 IRONMAN full-distance triathlon during a watch party Wednesday in downtown Tulsa.
The watch party was held at Guthrie Green at 111 East M.B. Brady Street. Live music happened 11:30 a.m., and the announcement came at about 12:15 p.m.
And the crowd goes wild! Tulsa has been selected for the brand new, full-distance @IRONMANtri in 2020! #Oklahoma @cityoftulsagov @KJRH2HD pic.twitter.com/MllVAGTvKe
— Gitzel Puente (@gitzelpuenteTV) June 12, 2019
Tulsa was one of four finalists for the endurance triathlon in 2020. Other finalists were Des Moines, Iowa; Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Memphis, Tennessee.
“We are very excited to welcome Tulsa, Oklahoma to the IRONMAN`Ohana,” said Shane Facteau, Chief Operating Officer for The IRONMAN Group. “When we started this process, our goal was to identify cities in this region that could host an event and would bring a fresh offering while providing athletes a world-class experience. We were blown away by the response and potential of all four finalist cities, each of whom made a strong case. Ultimately, we felt that Tulsa is the right place for the first new IRONMAN triathlon added in the United States since 2014. We are encouraged by the possible venues that Tulsa and the surrounding areas offer, including the beautiful Keystone Harbor in Mannford, Oklahoma and Guthrie Green in downtown as we create an enjoyable experience for athletes and support crews. We look forward to a great future in Tulsa and the potential that continues to exist for additional opportunities within the other finalist communities.”
Full-distance races include swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles.
The competition will start at Keystone Lake for a two-mile swim, then transition to cycling, which will include a roundtrip to Oklahoma State University in Tulsa for more than 100 miles, and then the marathon portion will take place in Tulsa at the RiverParks trails and finish in downtown.
General registration for the competition will open June 19, with more information available here.
Tulsa's bid for the event was facilitated by VisitTulsa, the city's convention and visitors bureau housed at the Tulsa Regional Chamber.
Existing IRONMAN communities have measured as much as $13 million in economic impact from the triathlon, with hotel room bookings of 12,000 for athletes and fans.
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