FRANKFORT, MICH. -- Ironman, arguably the world’s most well-known endurance race series, has set its sights on a small Northern Michigan town as the setting for one of its races next year.
Organizers announced today that Frankfort, Mich. will serve as a multi-year host venue for the Ironman 70.3 Michigan triathlon, scheduled to take place on September 12, 2021.
The event is being relocated from nearby Traverse City, which hosted the triathlon in 2019 with more than 2,500 athletes in attendance. Organizers called off the 2020 event citing public health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The inaugural Frankfort Ironman 70.3 will consist of a 1.2-mile swim in Frankfort Harbor, a 56-mile bike ride on sections of the iconic M-22 highway, and a 13.1-mile run through Frankfort and surrounding areas.
“Following in the success of the event in Traverse City a couple years ago, we’ve seen an incredible interest from athletes to visit and race in Northern Michigan,” said Keats McGonigal, head of North America operations for The Ironman Group. “We are excited to continue to host an event in this beautiful region and to call Frankfort our new home.”
Frankfort sits along Lake Michigan, just south of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and less than an hour’s drive from Traverse City.
“We can’t wait to welcome Ironman 70.3 back to Northern Michigan,” said Trevor Tkach, CEO and president of Traverse City Tourism, which also represents Frankfort. “The new course will be an exciting change for athletes, and spectators will be able to enjoy exploring the beautiful town of Frankfort in addition to the surrounding Traverse City region.”
General registration for Ironman 70.3 Michigan will open on Monday, December 21, 2020. Additional course details will be shared as soon as they are available at ironman.com/im703-michigan. Athletes and spectators can find lodging options and more local information at traversecity.com/ironman.
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