R.I. to host Ironman 70.3 qualifying race

PROVIDENCE – Though summer seems far away, Rhode Island has a new event to look forward to: a new athletic competition that includes a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run.

The competition – called the Ironman 70.3, for its 70.3-mile total length – will serve as one of 28 qualifying events worldwide for the annual Ironman World Championship 70.3. Rhode Island has managed to secure the event for at least three years.

The first Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island will be held July 13, with Providence serving as host city for the event.

The R.I. Convention Center will host athlete check-in and the Ironman Expo, while the race itself will take competitors through scenic spots including Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett for the swim; scenic communities along Route 102 and into Providence for the bike ride, which ends at Waterplace Park; and downtown Providence and the East Side for the half-marathon.

The event is expected to bring 2,000 athletes and their families from around the world to Rhode Island and provide an economic boost for the state.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to show the world what Providence and all of Rhode Island has to offer,” Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of the Providence & Warwick Convention Visitors Bureau, said in a statement.

“The state of Rhode Island has a strong athletic tradition and looks forward to hosting this international event through 2010,” said Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, who announced the event at a news conference this morning.

The athletes will be competing for a $25,000 prize and 50 qualifying slots in the 2008 Ironman World Championship 70.3, taking place Nov. 8, 2008, in Clearwater, Fla.

For more information about Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island, visit the official Ironman Web site, www.ironman.com, where registration will be held Nov. 10.