Chattanooga is one of three finalists to host Ironman 70.3 world championship triathlon

Professional athlete Jackie Hering #39 gives high fives while making her way into the finish line to take second place in the inaugural Sunbelt Bakery Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga race on Sunday, May 17, 2015.
Professional athlete Jackie Hering #39 gives high fives while making her way into the finish line to take second place in the inaugural Sunbelt Bakery Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga race on Sunday, May 17, 2015.

Ironman today has announced that the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championship triathlon will be held in the United States, and Chattanooga is one of three cities named as finalists to host the two-day event. Joining Chattanooga are Lake Placid, N.Y. And St. George, Utah. All three cities currently host Ironman or Ironman 70.3 races.

The professional women and age group women's race will be held on one day and professional men and age group men's race will be held on the second day.

photo Professional triathletes Leon Griffin #4, Andy Potts #1 and Bozzone Terenzo #2 crest the Veteran's Bridge while running the first lap of the run course during the inaugural Sunbelt Bakery Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga race on Sunday, May 17, 2015. U.S. athlete Andy Potts won the race with a final time of 3:49:43.

"With the global explosion of Ironman 70.3 races, we expect approximately 4,500 athletes from around the world to qualify for the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, which is too many for a single day of racing," said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of Ironman. "The finalists for the 2017 championship are all tremendous hosts to Ironman races and provide courses well suited for an event of this caliber. These cities also provide our athletes and their families world-class hospitality and endless scenic and entertainment options."

The Ironman 70.3 World Championship began an annual global rotation in 2014 in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. This August, the prestigious event will be held in Europe for the first time in Zell am See-Kaprun, SalzburgerLand, Austria. The 2016 race shifts to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time in Queensland, Australia's Sunshine Coast. Domestic and international competitors will earn the right to compete in the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championship by qualifying at nearly 90 Ironman 70.3 events around the world beginning in July 2016.

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