IRONMAN and the Village of Lake Placid, the Town of North Elba and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) have agreed to a three-year partnership renewal to keep the iconic and longstanding Athletic Brewing IRONMAN® Lake Placid triathlon in the Adirondacks through 2027. The agreement will benefit communities, event participants, businesses, and nonprofits in the region.
“The IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon is one of the region’s premier, large-scale events,” said Town of North Elba Supervisor Derek Doty. “This year it’s celebrating its 25th year which is an incredible milestone. Our community is proud to be part of the longest-running IRONMAN event in the contiguous US and we are excited to surpass that milestone over the next three years with the renewal of this contract.”
Since its inception, the Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon, part of the VinFast IRONMAN North America Series, has captured the hearts and minds of athletes and spectators. Nestled amidst the stunning Adirondack Mountains and surrounded by an outdoor lover’s paradise, the event became the first IRONMAN-branded event in the continental United States and only the second in North America, behind the IRONMAN Canada event, when it was introduced in 1999. Over the past 25 years, the IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon has continued to be one of the most popular IRONMAN triathlons on the circuit selling out year-after-year and bringing athletes to the region to experience all the beauty and mystique that Lake Placid and the surrounding area has to offer.
“The IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon has continued to be one of the most sought-after race experiences, and we are thrilled to continue this journey putting on this iconic race and solidifying this community as one of the best on the global circuit,” said Keats McGonigal, Vice President, Operations for North America. “We have worked hard over the past several years with our community partners to ensure the enduring success of this longstanding event. We look forward to providing athletes with exceptional race experiences for years to come here in the Adirondacks.”
Few other venues can compare to these small towns nestled in the heart of the Adirondacks, where the mystical blend of mountain air, Olympic spirit, and unpredictable climbs present triathletes with ample inspiration and opportunities to push themselves to new limits.
According to ROOST Chief Operating Officer Mary Jane Lawrence, the renewal reflects a great deal of collaboration over the past two years. “Our local event committee, in partnership with The IRONMAN Group, has assessed and evaluated the event’s success and also identified opportunities for improvement,” she said. “Working together, we have implemented specific actions that assist with the race’s impact on local communities and also enhanced the athlete experience. Many of those changes were very successful and are now embedded into the contract language.”
Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin echoed Lawrence’s sentiment. “IRONMAN has been very receptive to feedback and reactive to the needs of our local communities,” he said. “This three-year contract reflects many recent event improvements.”
“Establishment of the event committee was one of the most positive changes made in recent years. I’m so encouraged by the hard work, dedication and thoughtful suggestions by this committee. The actions that have been implemented have been met with excitement and support. This milestone year will be one of IRONMAN’s best, I have no doubt,” continued Mayor Devlin.
Estimated local economic impact of the IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon is significant. According to a 2022 event economic impact study commissioned by ROOST, the overall economic impact of the 2022 event was more than $15 million. This included $462,000 in direct spending by The IRONMAN Group on local and regional services and staff. Those who visited the region while participating in the event stayed in local lodging properties, frequented local restaurants, visited area retailers, and visited local attractions and entertainment venues. In 2024, The IRONMAN Foundation will also donate $65,000 to the local Lake Placid community through various donation outlets, bringing the donation total in the region to over $1.9-million USD.
Lawrence continued, “IRONMAN’s reach is worldwide. The exposure generated by global streaming, social media, website and print media coverage is substantial. The international marketing reach of this premier, international event, along with its economic impact and the significant financial commitment by The IRONMAN Foundation to the non-profits in our communities has real value.”
Adding to the already prominent appeal of the event, top professional triathletes from around the globe will descend on the Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon, part of the VinFast IRONMAN North America Series, for the new IRONMAN Pro Series™ as it stops in the Adirondacks. The event will offer professionals a maximum of 5,000 points towards IRONMAN Pro Series standings, a $125,000 event total pro prize purse and four qualifying slots for each gender to the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship.
In a special treat for this year’s competitors, the “Voice of IRONMAN,” Mike Reilly, who announced retirement in 2022, will return for a special occasion to call the 25th Anniversary of the Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon, part of the VinFast IRONMAN North America Series bringing yet another exciting element to this year’s celebration. The most famous voice in the sport of triathlon, Reilly had a career that spanned over 33 years, 33 IRONMAN World Championship events, and a total of 214 IRONMAN events; during that time, he welcomed over a half million athletes with his iconic call of ‘You are an IRONMAN!’ as they crossed the finish line.
The Adirondack region provides an ideal setting for this historical landscape of endurance. The 2024 Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon, part of the VinFast IRONMAN North America Series, will see athletes kick off their 140.6-mile journey with a 2.4-mile swim in the Mirror Lake before athletes embark on the 112-mile bike course with great views of the Adirondacks passing through the towns of Keene, Jay, Wilmington and Lake Placid. The 26.2-mile run course takes athletes through the city center to picturesque Mirror Lake before the culmination of their day at the historic Lake Placid Olympic Oval. The Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon, part of the VinFast IRONMAN North America Series, offers age group qualifying slots to the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship with the women racing in Nice, France on September 22 and the men racing in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i?on October 26. Registration for the 2025 edition of the event will be available onsite this year.
For more information on the 2024 Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon, part of the VinFast IRONMAN North America Series, visit www.ironman.com/im-lake-placid. For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com.