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.TRAFFIC IMPACT:
From 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday› Southbound Riverfront Parkway from Molly Way to Market Street: One lane closed› Eastbound West 20th Street from Riverfront Parkway to Market Street: One lane closed› Intersection of West 20th Street and Market Street/Intersection of 20th and Broad Street: Expect delays› Southbound Market Street to Alton Park Boulevard: One lane closed› Interstate 24 exit ramp to Southbound Market Street: Closed› Interstate 24 on ramp from Southbound Market Street: Closed› Intersection of St Elmo Avenue and 42nd Street: Expect delays› Intersection of St. Elmo Avenue and Tennessee Avenue: Expect delays› Highway 193 at Highway 341 and Highway 136 at Highway 193 and Highway 136 at Highway 341: Expect delays› 40th Street from Alton Park to Tennessee Avenue: ClosedFrom 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.› Westbound Riverside Drive/Amnicola Highway from Lindsay to Wilcox Lane: Closed› River Street between Fehn and Heritage Landing: Closed› Battery Place Ramp from Amnicola Highway: Closed› Veterans Bridge/Barton Avenue/Hixson Pike between Fourth Street and Riverview Road: Lane closed› Eastbound Frazier Avenue between Walnut Street Bridge and Barton Avenue Lane: ClosedMORE: Riverfront Parkway from Molly Lane to Aquarium Way will be closed from Wednesday at 9 a.m. to Monday at 5 a.m.
2016 Ironman 70.3 Schedule
4:30 a.m.-6:45 a.m.: Shuttle bus for athletes and spectators from Ross’s transition to swim start5 a.m.: Ross’s Landing information booth opens6:50 a.m.: Race starts7 a.m.: Ironman Village and Ironman store open at Ross’s Landing7:30-8:30 a.m. Shuttle bus for spectators runs from swim start to transition11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Athlete food open at Ross’s Landing4 p.m.: Awards ceremony at Ross’s Landing
A field of 65 professional triathletes from around the world are among the 3,000-plus competitors descending on Chattanooga this week for Sunday's Ironman 70.3 event.
It's a noticeable increase from the 35 professionals who competed in Chattanooga's first 70.3-mile event last year, as athletes familiarize themselves with the course they'll face when the city hosts the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2017.
"We are seeing more pros this year because they want to get a feel for what it will be like," race director Brian Myrick said.
The field includes two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion and 2014 Ironman World Champion Sebastian Kienle of Germany.
Overall, participation is up 200-300 competitors from last year, the increase emblematic of Chattanooga's rapid progression from a newcomer on the scene of Ironman host cities to a destination location.
Spectators are expected to fill the area around Ross's Landing and congregate in Ironman Village, where expo tents and an Ironman shop will sell merchandise. The Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates a total attendance of 6,250 for the event, which is expected to bring a $4.2 million economic impact to the area.
Peter Hurley, CEO of the Ooltewah-based American Bicycle Group, said it's the hospitality of the locals that has set the city apart so far. The American Bicycle Group manufactures Quintana Roo, an iconic brand of bicycles among Ironman competitors.
"We go, as a company, to 25 events around the world that are triathlon or Ironman-oriented, and Chattanooga, so far, has put on a wonderful event," said Hurley, who is competing Sunday. "The community has come out in support of it, and we've been so proud of it. As we travel around the world, people talk about the good things in Chattanooga. It's the community spirit, and we just need to continue doing that and this will be a great event."
Sunday's race is a 70.3-mile journey, or half the distance of traditional Ironman events like the fourth annual Ironman Chattanooga scheduled for September.
Competitors begin with a 1.2-mile swim that starts at 6:50 a.m. just east of the Veterans Bridge between Maclellan Island and the North Shore and ends at Ross's Landing.
They will have 70 minutes to complete the swim before moving on to a 56-mile bike ride through the city and into Walker County, Ga. The final leg of the race is a 13.1-mile run, consisting of two loops along Riverfront Parkway, the Tennessee Riverwalk, through the North Shore and back to Ross's Landing.
Competitors are expected to finish between 10:35 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The top nine finishers completed the course in just under four hours last year. Racers are required to finish in under 8 hours and 30 minutes.
"We have a lot of really talented athletes coming into town," Hurley said. "This is going to be phenomenal."
Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.