ST. GEORGE, Utah (October 24, 2022) – On October 28 & 29 the Land of Endurance, Southern Utah will welcome over 6,000 registered athletes from 104 countries, regions, and territories to compete in the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship. This will mark the second year in a row that St. George, Utah will host the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in addition to also becoming the first location outside of Hawai`i to host the IRONMAN World Championship this past May. In all Greater Zion has hosted three world championship IRONMAN or IRONMAN 70.3 events in the past 13 months showcasing why it is known as the Land of Endurance.
Breaking down the regional representation, North America leads the way with 42 percent of athletes registered to race at the 2022 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission. Europe follows North America with the second most, accounting for 37 percent of athletes. Latin America follows with 10 percent, Oceania with 4 percent, and Asia with nearly 2 percent make up the top five regions represented at the 2022 edition of the event.
The United States of America is the most represented nation with 2,331 registered athletes, followed by France (472), Canada (448), United Kingdom (405), Germany (348), and Australia (245). Other athletes from countries as far as Egypt, New Zealand, South Africa, and Jersey are traveling from around the globe to race the 2022 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission. Countries being represented for the first time include Cayman Islands, St. Martin, and Syria.
This year’s field boasts 12 age-group champions from the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission that took place in St. George on Sept. 18, 2021. On the women’s side, there is: Mexico’s Alina Hanschke Busch (F35-39), along with American’s Cathy Yndestad (F40-44), Juliet Hochman (F55-59), Colleen De Reuck (F55-59), Juliana Nievergelt (F60-64) and Diane Tracy (F70-74). On the men’s side, Luxembourg’s Olivier Godart (M45-49) returns to St. George. American’s Gennaro Magliulo (M75-79), Tim Bradley (M60-64), Andrew Hall (M35-39), Mike Wien (M70-74) and Ilya Slepov (M40-44).
Other notable age-group athletes competing at the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship include:
- Rajesh Durbal was born as a triple amputee, but that hasn’t stopped him from competing in triathlons, traveling the world, and inspiring millions of people. His foundation, Live Free, conducts events and seminars which have trained more than 500,000 people in 16 different countries to achieve their full potential and experience life at the highest level possible. He became the first triple-amputee to compete in the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2010 and 2011. In addition, he holds a provisional patent in prosthetic quick-connect components to improve mobility and decrease limitations for amputees. Last year, with a group of athletes and para-athletes, he ascended the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. He will continue to inspire others who have had to overcome in St. George.
- In 2018, David Haywood, from Belfast, Great Britain set out on a journey like no other during his gap year. David decided to bike around the world, covering over 21,000 miles. The journey covered 33 countries in 349 days. David also is a Guinness World Record holder for ‘most countries visited by bicycle in seven days’.
- Athlete Zeinab Razaie will be the first Afghan woman to race in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship. Despite her athletic ambitions, she is unable to compete in her home country due to the Taliban’s rules. Razaie completed her first marathon in 2017 and ran a multi-stage ultramarathon across 250 km of the Mongolian Gobi Desert in 2018. Then, in February 2020, she completed the IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai and became the first Afghan woman to finish an IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon.
- Joe Terry was drafted to the Seattle Seahawks out of college to play at the linebacker position. He was cut at just 22 years old and had to find a new purpose and meaning in life. Joe found triathlon as a challenge and decided to start competing. As he crossed the finish line of his first IRONMAN, Joe broke down in tears and was forever hooked on triathlons. Today, Joe works as a CEO at Culture Partners in San Francisco and trains to compete at his highest level.
- 10 years ago, Beth Ulibarri was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. A few years later, she started competing in IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 races. She finds that her training helps her stay fit and healthy to manage and combat her MS.
- Salt Lake City-based Sara Whittingham will compete in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship to combat the pain of Parkinson’s Disease. In 2020, Whittingham assumed her triathlon days were over after being diagnosed with the disease. After participating in a research study at the Cleveland Clinic on the effects of cycling on disease progression, Whittingham found that cycling made her feel better. Encouraged, she signed up for IRONMAN 70.3 Ohio with her husband and completed her fastest IRONMAN 70.3 since 2001.
The 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship will kick off with a 1.2-mile (1.9km) Swim Course, which takes place in Sand Hollow Reservoir located in Sand Hollow State Park in Hurricane, Utah. A challenging 56-mile (91.3km) Bike Course follows and will lead athletes through stunning desert landscapes with 3,201 feet (1003 meters) of elevation gain and an unforgettable climb into Snow Canyon State Park and surrounding Washington County. The 13.1-mile (21.2km) Run Course will take athletes on two loops through the stunning Red Hills Parkway and wind through historic downtown St. George where the finish line is located.
Additional historical facts and stats on the field competing in the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in St. George, Utah:
- Erwin Helml (DEU) is the oldest male participant at 82, while Ted Ward (GBR) is the youngest at 18
- Linda Ashmore (GBR) is the oldest female participant at 76, while Arina Niyaki (ZAF) is the youngest at 19
- 34 percent of the registered field of participants are female and will race on Friday
- 66 percent of the registered field of participants are male and will race on Saturday
- 42 is the average age of all registrants
- 18 athletes will be celebrating their birthdays on their respective race days
- All 50 U.S. states are accounted for, with the greatest number hailing from California (304), Texas (189), Florida (176), Colorado (168), New York (138), Illinois (112), Washington (102), Pennsylvania (93), Wisconsin (86), and Michigan (83) making up the top states.
- 2,514 athletes racing in this year’s Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission are IRONMAN All World Athletes
- 18 new IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 race locations were added to the calendar in 2022; – (New IRONMAN triathlons in France (Pays D’Aix), Israel, and USA (Alaska and Iowa); New IRONMAN 70.3 triathlons in Argentina, Germany, Greece, Morocco, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, South Africa, and Wales.
- More than 4,000 volunteers will help make the 2022 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission successful in 2022.
