Ironman Announces Date and New Start Time For Boise 70.3

2009 race will take place on June 13, 2009 at 2 PM

The date for the 2009 Ironman 70.3 Boise will be Saturday, June 13. Unique to other Ironman 70.3 races, the event will include a 2:00 p.m. MDT afternoon start in place of the traditional early-morning start time used in 2008.

"We are excited to offer this new start time to our athletes, as we feel it will further enhance the overall event experience," said Steve Meckfessel, Ironman 70.3 Events Director. "The city of Boise has so much to offer participants and spectators. A later start time and evening finish will create a unique finish line experience in the dynamic BoDo District."

The mild June temperatures, low average humidity, cold-water swim and shaded run course make Boise an ideal venue for a later start time. Ironman will not be the first event organizer to institute a later start time in the city of Boise. The Wells Fargo Twilight Criterium, held annually in July, is a popular cycling race that begins late afternoon and has a nighttime finish. With more than 20,000 spectators, the Criterium is widely supported by Boise residents and out-of-state visitors.

The 2008 inaugural event drew more than 1,200 athletes from around the globe, from 42 states/U.S. territories and 10 countries. The 2009 event, in its second year, is expected to attract 2,000 competitors. Registration will open on Monday, September 1, at www.ironmanboise.com.

One of more than thirty events in the Ironman 70.3 global series, Ironman 70.3 Boise leads athletes along a 1.2-Mile swim, 56-Mile bike and 13.1-Mile run. The course takes athletes through scenic Lucky Peak Reservoir, the Boise Greenbelt and downtown Boise. Athletes end their 70.3-Mile journey with a finish line celebration in the heart of downtown Boise. Ironman 70.3 Boise offers a $25,000 professional prize purse and serves as an official qualifier for the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3, taking place each November in Clearwater, FL.