The Woodlands Selected To Host 2011 Ironman Event

The Woodlands Selected To Host 2011 Ironman Event

World Triathlon Corporation, headquartered in Florida, has chosen The Woodlands, Texas for its inaugural Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas event in a special 5-year agreement.

The Ironman Team, Memorial Hermann, The Woodlands Township and The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau made the announcement Wednesday, June 23, 2010 that the inaugural Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas will take place Saturday, May 21, 2011.

“We are very pleased that World Triathlon Corporation has selected The Woodlands for its Ironman Texas event,” said Bruce Tough, Chairman of the Board of The Woodlands Township. “This world-class event garners major international exposure and is great for the recognition of The Woodlands. At the same time, we will work hard to assure and make sure the entire planning process considers every important aspect from a residential standpoint.”

Participants will begin with a swim in Lake Woodlands, entering the water at Northshore Park and finishing at Town Green Park, which will serve as the transition area. Athletes will then head out on the bike course that will take them west through The Woodlands before heading north to the scenic, rolling farmland of east Texas. The final portion of the race is a marathon course entirely within The Woodlands that concludes with a spectacular finish on Market Street.

“This event will showcase the incredible destination of The Woodlands downtown area and the community’s unique natural beauty,” said Nelda Luce Blair, Chairman of the Board, The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Ironman is a premier brand for athletic competition and the Woodlands is a premier brand for living and corporate headquarters. The two fit together very well and should be beneficial for local businesses and residential volunteer organizations. We anticipate that people from all over the country, and the world, will experience the hospitality and the natural scenic surroundings we have in The Woodlands.”

Nick Wolda, President of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau added, “The Woodlands and South Montgomery County are quickly becoming household names in competitive sports events, from the world-class brand of Ironman to NCAA, college and high school championships. With people from all over the world living and visiting The Woodlands, Ironman Texas is a perfect match for our international community.”

Wolda adds the announcement of the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas event is another in a line of prestigious sports competitions held in The Woodlands. Earlier, this year, The Woodlands hosted the 2010 Texas Rush Blue Chip Showcase, which provided amateur soccer players the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of college coaches from around the nation. The area also hosted the Nike South Cross Country Invitational and the Conference USA Cross Country Championship.

A longtime resident of The Woodlands, Steve Sanders, CEO of Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital, welcomed the announcement for multiple reasons.

“My pride that The Woodlands was selected for this race is matched only by my pride in Memorial Hermann’s outstanding sports medicine program. This is a win-win for our community and for Memorial Hermann.”

“Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas will be a phenomenal race,” said Steve Meckfessel, Ironman’s Chief Operations Officer. “The community’s spirit, unique amenities and accessibility make The Woodlands a perfect destination for our athletes and spectators. We’re truly excited about adding this event to the 2011 Ironman schedule.”

An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile run, and athletes must complete the three disciplines in succession within a 17-hour time frame. Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas will offer 65 coveted slots to the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championship, taking place on Oct. 8 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Additionally, there will be a prize purse of $100,000 for distribution among the top professional male and female finishers.

To book a hotel room in The Woodlands, go to The Woodlands Convention & Visitor Bureau’s website at www.visitthewoodlands.com

The event will rely on hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers and the World Triathlon Corporation has committed to $100,000 back to local charities in The Woodlands.

Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, the largest not-for-profit healthcare provider serving greater Houston, will serve as title sponsor of the event. As a major player in the athletic arena, the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute was actively looking to diversify its programs and outreach through a meaningful partnership.

Therefore, aligning with the World Triathlon Corporation was ideal in that both organizations’ core values revolve around improving the health of the communities they serve and working with athletes to achieve their highest potential.

“With one of the country’s top institutes dedicated to sports medicine and human performance in the Texas Medical Center, more than two dozen sports medicine and rehabilitation locations across our service area, and an outstanding team of physicians associated with our sports medicine programs, Memorial Hermann is the leader in sports related medical services,” said Walt Lowe, M.D., medical director, Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. “We share Ironman’s interest in helping athletes achieve their highest potential and look forward to working with them to do just that.”

The announcement of Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas was made in The Woodlands, Texas on Wednesday, June 23, 2010. Nick Wolda, President, The Woodlands CVB; Nelda Blair, Chairman of the Board, The Woodlands CVB; Bruce Tough, Chairman of the Board, The Woodlands Township; Steve Meckfessel, Chief Operations Officer, World Triathlon Corporation; Steve Sanders, Chief Executive Officer, Memorial Hermann – The Woodlands; and Josh Urban, Chief Operating Officer, Memorial Hermann – The Woodlands.

About Ironman
The Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile run completed in succession within a 17-hour allotted timeframe. In 2006, World Triathlon Corporation, owners of the brands, launched the Ironman 70.3 Series which consists of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run in addition to a world championship event which is held each November. Each year, more than 120,000 athletes compete for slots in either the Ford Ironman World Championship, held every October in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 held in Clearwater, Fla. Throughout Ironman’s nearly 32- year history, Ironman has transformed from an event into a lifestyle and sports brand that includes licensed products and television production. Ironman has global reach with more than 66 events worldwide and continues to inspire millions each year to establish goals and take on new personal challenges, demonstrating the Ironman mantra, “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE”. Millions may remember moments in Ironman history such as Julie Moss’ crawl to the finish line in 1982, which was showcased on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. The brands have been featured in a range of media outlets to include CNN Headline News, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, The TODAY Show, Entertainment Tonight and USA Today. For more information on Ironman, visit www.ironman.com.

About Memorial Hermann
An integrated health system, Memorial Hermann is known for world-class clinical expertise, patient-centered care, leading edge technology, and innovation. The system, with its exceptional medical staff and 19,000 employees, serves southeast Texas and the greater Houston community. Memorial Hermann’s 11 hospitals include three hospitals in the Texas Medical Center, including a level 1 trauma center, a hospital for children and a rehabilitation hospital, as well as three heart & vascular institute locations and eight suburban hospitals. The system also operates an air ambulance, cancer, imaging and surgery centers, sports medicine and rehabilitation centers, outpatient laboratories, a Wellness Center, a chemical dependency treatment center, a home health agency, a retirement community and a nursing home. About The Woodlands Located just 30 minutes north of Houston, Texas and minutes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport, The Woodlands is an emerging destination for leisure guests, individual business travelers and groups of all sizes. Visitors to The Woodlands enjoy more than five million square feet of world-class shopping, dining and entertainment options; more than 185 miles of hike-andbike trails; the 1,700-acre Mitchell Preserve; the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, one of the top five outdoor amphitheatres in the world; kayaking on The Woodlands Waterway and Lake Woodlands; and 115 parks. The Woodlands features world-class golf and is home to more than 1,400 guestrooms in upscale and boutique properties, select service, limited service, conference and convention centers and a resort.