IRONMAN coming to Tulsa in 2020

(TULSA, Okla.) Organizers said the new event, slated for May 31, 2020, will be the first brand-new full-distance IRONMAN triathlon introduced in the United States since 2014, expanding the series in the Central United States. Tulsa was announced as a top four finalist for the spot back in April, and won it against Des Moines (Iowa), Fayetteville (Arkansas) and Memphis (Tennessee). Competitors must swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles in a single-day for a shot at the title. "We are very excited about this opportunity to bring an IRONMAN event to the Central United States," said Shane Facteau, Chief Operating Officer for IRONMAN. "We have been looking into this particular area of the country for a while now and felt the time is right to add a brand-new full-distance IRONMAN triathlon to the U.S Series.” "In 2019 alone, Tulsa was fortunate to host the Big 12 Wrestling Championship and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. In the last five years, we’ve hosted the Bassmaster Classic, USA BMX Grand Nationals and the Arabian Horse Association’s U.S. Nationals. Tulsa is ready for IRONMAN – we are well-suited for this style of event,” said Ray Hoyt, President of Tulsa Regional Tourism. According to the IRONMAN website, host communities have measured as much as $10M USD of direct economic impact on the local economy, with a total of $13M USD when also factoring indirect and induced impacts. Additionally, IRONMAN host communities have seen hotel room night counts upwards of 12,000, thanks to athletes staying an average of three to four nights in market for IRONMAN events, bringing a big boost to the local economy. General Entry registration for the Tulsa IRONMAN will open on Wednesday, June 19 at 12PM (ET). All those interested can sign up here: http://m.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/tulsa/register.aspx The 2020 Certified Piedmontese IRONMAN Tulsa will also offer 40 qualifying slots to the 2020 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.