Posted: March 8, 2005

Triathlon: Inaugural Ironman Arizona Triathlon to take place on April 9 in Tempe

TEMPE, Ariz.-The inaugural Ironman Arizona triathlon is set to take place on Saturday, April 9, 2005 in Tempe.

The highly anticipated event is expected to feature more than 1,900 athletes from around the world, and is scheduled to take place in Tempe each of the next five years.

“There has been great buzz around this event,” said Ironman North America President Graham Fraser. “We are looking forward to hosting a great event in 2005 and in the future in Tempe.”

With the addition of Tempe, Ironman now hosts a full-distance Ironman in every corner of continental North America -- the southeast (Ironman Florida in Panama City Beach, Florida) northeast (Ironman USA Lake Placid in Lake Placid, New York) the northwest (Subaru Ironman Canada in Penticton, British Columbia and Ironman USA Coeur d’Alene in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho) the Midwest (Ironman Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin) -- and now, with Ironman Arizona, the Southwest.

The event has been made possible by cooperation between Ironman North America, the city of Tempe, the Tempe Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, as well the State of Arizona and the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The Arizona event will feature 80 qualifying spots to the 2005 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii as well as a $75,000 pro prize purse.

For more information on Ironman Arizona, log onto www.ironmanarizona.com.

Race day coverage will be available as follows:

IronmanLive.com will provide live coverage focusing on the pros at the event and will also feature race day results and updates throughout the event.

Race results will be posted at www.ironmanarizona.com as well as SportStats.ca as soon as the event is completed (early Monday morning).

Results throughout race day will be posted on IronmanLive.com only.