Call it a dress rehearsal for Redding’s ultimate goal — to be a permanent fixture on the IRONMAN tour.
Sunday’s first IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California race is the beginning of a three-year commitment to Redding for the iconic distance competition.
Beyond that? Much depends on how the race unfolds, community involvement and takeaways for those who compete in the swim, run and bike triathlon.
“We have a global audience with (competitors) from over 20 countries, over 70 men and women professional racers coming to Redding, most for the first time because of this race. They have hundreds of followers, so whatever each of them posts on social media will have a ripple effect for people to be aware of Redding,” said Tim Bauer of the Redding Sports Commission.
Bauer is encouraged so far.
He told the Record Searchlight on Wednesday that more than 1,700 people have registered for the race, which starts Sunday at 6:15 a.m. with the 1.2-mile professional men’s division swim at Whiskeytown Lake. From there, racers will hop on bikes for a 56-mile ride before finishing with a 13.1-mile half-marathon run.
Bauer said IRONMAN officials told him that to have nearly 2,000 people signup for an inaugural race is rare. Over 1,300 volunteers have signed up to help on race day.
“IRONMAN corporate said that could be a record to have that many (volunteer) spots filled” for a first-time race, he said.
Greater Redding’s business community has a huge stake in the event.
“There’s going to be very few things besides Kool April Nites that brings in an IRONMAN-style event, which is pure tourism,” Bauer told the Record Searchlight earlier in August.
On Wednesday, workers were outside the Redding Civic Auditorium setting up IRONMAN Village, which opens at 2 p.m. on Friday. The village will include the IRONMAN Store and Ironman Village “Lounge Experience.”
Also Friday, Final Draft Brewing in downtown Redding will host a happy hour at 7:30 p.m., and the Redding Rancheria will host “The Start Line Social” at Whistle Stop Park downtown from 8 to 10 p.m.
Fall River Brewing on Eastside Road will showcase locals competing in the event with a “Hometown Heroes Wall” that will feature photos of athletes, and give friends and family an opportunity to write messages of encouragement. The brewery’s Hometown Heroes Night is Thursday 6 to 8 p.m.
On Saturday, the day before the race, NSFit Redding on Athens Avenue is hosting a vendor and community fitness expo 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
The Redding Tourism and Marketing Group invested $600,000 over a three-year period to get the IRONMAN to commit to Redding through 2028.
Hotelier Ed Rullman, board chair of the group, said expectations are high that the event will bring lots of dollars into the community. Rullman is managing partner of the Best Western Plus Hilltop Inn and the adjoining C.R. Gibbs American Grille.
“What we are seeing is the majority of rooms, the people are coming in Friday night and Saturday night,” he said. “I would say it is kind of following the same way Kool April Nites plays out.”
When he talked to the Record Searchlight on Tuesday, Rullman said he was a little concerned that the community has not yet “grabbed on to IRONMAN the way we need to.”
“This is quite an event for us to be able to land,” he added. “Even though it’s a half-IRONMAN, our hope is it becomes a full IRONMAN.”
Still, Rullman is optimistic that IRONMAN will become a sort of a weeklong festival for Redding, bringing business to local hotels and lodges, restaurants and retail stores.
“Whenever we bring dollars into the community, it turns over like eight times before (the money) actually leaves our community. So anytime we bring dollars from the outside, that is huge for our market,” Rullman said.
Redding Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Jones said the IRONMAN is expected to generate $10 million in economic impact to the North State.
“I think the big thing that Redding needs to do is we need to be all as welcoming as we can be,” Jones said Wednesday at the Redding Civic Auditorium as crews behind him were setting up the IRONMAN Village. “I think the big thing is, really the rest of the community needs to show up. The restaurants need to be staffed appropriately, have the right food orders and really we need to show off and be as hospitable as we can because IRONMAN can theoretically pick anywhere they want to go. They have races all over the world and we’re really lucky to have a race here in Redding.”
Meanwhile, Bauer has talked to IRONMAN officials and he is confident that next year’s race will not be held in August, which would help take away organizers’ concerns of racers laboring through triple-digit heat. Bauer is relieved temperatures are expected to be in the low to mid-90s on Sunday.
The most likely landing spot for IRONMAN 2027 in Redding is either the spring or fall, he said.
Jones said the date for next year’s IRONMAN in Redding could be announced as early as Friday during the social event at Whistle Stop Park.
Bauer envisions Redding to eventually get upgraded to a professional series race.
“They will have it globally televised on YouTube. That is the goal to get international eyes on our course … and make Redding top of mind as a kind of outdoor sports destination,” he said of a pro series race.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly “Buzz on the Street” column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: How Redding hopes to turn IRONMAN into a lasting legacy
Reporting by David Benda, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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By David Benda, Redding Record Searchlight | USA TODAY Network
