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2015 IRONMAN Louisville Triathlon to take Place in October

2015 IRONMAN LOUISVILLE TRIATHLON TO TAKE PLACE IN OCTOBER
Annual Race to become Fall Classic for the IRONMAN North America Race Calendar

TAMPA, Fla. (July 28, 2014)IRONMAN announced today that the 2015 IRONMAN Louisville presented by Norton Sports Health will move from August to October 11th in 2015 – providing athletes a premiere fall race with cooler temperatures than the race typically experiences with the August date.

“The date shift of IRONMAN Louisville will provide athletes with more comfortable air and water temperatures – improving race conditions and the overall athlete experience. We look forward to continuing to work with the incredible people of Louisville to deliver this first-class event,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of IRONMAN.

Since it was first held in Louisville, Kentucky in 2007, IRONMAN Louisville quickly became a signature event for the charm-filled city. With its downtown finish line, considered amongst the most exciting in the sport, Louisville is one of the most vibrant IRONMAN venues on the circuit. The unique, mostly down-river swim course was the first rolling start swim in IRONMAN racing, while the scenic bike course goes through La Grange, where thousands of spectators cheer on the athletes in a Tour de France-like atmosphere. The run course passes Churchill Downs, home of the famous Kentucky Derby, and the University of Louisville, so there’s no shortage of attraction for athletes.

“IRONMAN is a great event for the city, both from an economic and social perspective. IRONMAN athletes come to Louisville many days before the competition and often stay afterward,” said Mayor Greg Fischer.  “We get to showcase all that’s great about Louisville while meeting these hard-charging athletes, who are often business executives, entrepreneurs and leaders in their respective fields.”

“Since 2007, more than 16,000 IRONMAN participants from across the United States and around the world have visited our community and spent approximately $30 million in the local area,” added Karl Schmitt, Executive Director, Louisville Sports Commission. “We’ve had tremendous support from government agencies, facility operators and the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau as well as from our amazing residents who have helped create great experiences for our visitors as they swim, bike and run through neighborhoods, towns and rural areas in Louisville and Oldham and Henry Counties. We look forward to hosting IRONMAN through 2019.”

The 2015 race will offer 50 age group slots to the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, HI.

General registration for the 2015 IRONMAN Louisville will open at Noon ET Monday, August 25th, 2014 on www.ironman.com/louisville. For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com. Athlete inquiries may be directed to louisville@ironman.com.  Media may contact press@ironman.com.