The Ironman 70.3 Regional Championship series will continue with this weekend’s 2016 Ironman 70.3 North American Pro Championship St. George triathlon and will feature some of the most prestigious names in the world of triathlon.
The field of pro athletes have collectively earned an impressive nine Ironman or Ironman 70.3 World Championship titles in addition to 17 Ironman or Ironman 70.3 Regional Championship titles.
Headlining the women’s race is returning Ironman 70.3 North American Pro Championship St. George Champion Heather Wurtele (CAN). Wurtele will race alongside three-time Ironman World Champion Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) and 2013 and 2014 Ironman 70.3 U.S. Pro Champion Meredith Kessler (USA) as they compete for this year’s title. Kessler and Wurtele have split the previous six race victories in St. George. Also in the mix of the incredibly talented field of women is Heather Jackson (USA), Alicia Kaye (USA), Mary Beth Ellis (USA) and Linsey Corbin (USA), each of whom have multiple Ironman and Ironman 70.3 wins.
On the men’s side, 2013 Ironman World Champion Sebastian Kienle (DEU) leads an equally competitive group that consists of the 2014 Ironman World Championship third place finisher, Ben Hoffman (USA), who is also weeks off his win at the 2016 Ironman African Championship, along with Tim O’Donnell (USA), who finished third at the 2015 Ironman World Championship. Brent McMahon (CAN), who has been the runner-up the last two years in St. George and Michael Raelert (DEU), who is two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion (2009 and 2010) will also be vying for the Ironman 70.3 North American Pro Championship title. Rounding out the field is Canadian Lionel Sanders who is fresh off of three victories in 2016, including Ironman 70.3 Panama, Ironman 70.3 California-Oceanside and Ironman 70.3 Texas.
“This year’s pro field is exceptional and will provide for a very exciting 2016 Ironman 70.3 North American Pro Championship St. George,” said Christopher Stadler, Chief Marketing Officer for Ironman. “The amount of World Championship caliber athletes will surely create one of the most competitive races on the Ironman 70.3 circuit this year.”
An automatic bid to the 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship will be on the line as the male and female professional winners of each 2016 Ironman 70.3 Regional Championship race receive automatic qualification to the 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, taking place in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia on September 4. The Ironman 70.3 North American Pro Championship St. George race will also offer a $100,000 prize purse to male and female professionals which will be distributed amongst the first through tenth place finishers.
In addition to the competitive professional field, over 2,700 registered age-group athletes from 24 countries are expected to compete at this year’s Ironman 70.3 North American Pro Championship St. George. The race will offer 30 coveted age-group qualifying slots to the 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
