Over 3,800 athletes are traveling from 49 states and 21 countries to take part in the 2019 Sunbelt Bakery IRONMAN 70.3 on Sunday.
Lizzy Walley, 18-year-old from Lookout Mountain, Tn., will be the youngest female athlete in the field.
Top pro athletes to watch include Josh Amberger and Matt Hanson as well as Heather Jackson and Meredith Kessler.
The event, presented by McKee Bakery, takes athletes south of downtown Chattanooga into North Georgia and Walker County, providing incredible views of Lookout Mountain and the Tennessee River and offering a total professional prize purse of $30,000.
The race will award a total of 40 age-group qualifying slots for the 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, which will take place in Nice, France.
The IRONMAN Foundation will provide $160,000 grant to Walker County, Ga., to help install 40 new fire hydrants in needed locations.
There will be 702 participants from Tennessee.
18-year-old Domian Thomas from Des Peres, Mo., will be the youngest male athlete and 78-year-old George Sharp from Decatur, Ga., will be the oldest, while 73-year-old Judith Garrard from Lawrenceville, Ga., will be the oldest female athlete.
Occupations include airline pilot, architect, computer programmer, dentist, firefighter, lifeguard, nurse, police officer, scientist, social worker and teacher.
Athletes will enter the Tennessee River in a rolling start and head up stream for a short distance before making the turn and heading back down. Spectators will have a great opportunity to watch the swim from the Veterans and Market Street Bridges and the Tennessee Riverwalk. Athletes will exit the water at Ross’s Landing Park.Bike:
The bike course takes riders south of town before beginning a 34-mile loop in north Georgia. Athletes can expect incredible views as they parallel Lookout Mountain on this rolling course with great road surfaces. As athletes near the end of the loop they will get the opportunity to ride through historic Chickamauga.
In the run portion, athletes will have a chance to see the Scenic City as they complete two loops through downtown Chattanooga, The Tennessee Riverwalk, Veterans Bridge, North Shore, Walnut Street Bridge and Riverfront Parkway. The final stretch will bring down Riverfront Parkway to finish at Ross's Landing along the Tennessee River.
Schedule:
Saturday, 9 a.m. IRONKIDS
Chattanooga Fun Run 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
IRONMAN Village 2 p.m. ProAthlete Panel
Sunday 6:50 a.m. –Race Start – One Mile Up River from Ross’s Landing7
Approximately 10:30 a.m.– First (male) finisher approaching the finish line (Female winner to follow approximately 20 minutes)
4 p.m. – Awards Ceremony & IM 70.3 World Championship Slot Allocation