Set for July 10
More than 2,000 of the world’s finest athletes will descend on Sonoma County on Sunday, July 10 for the 26th annual Ironman 70.3 Vineman Triathlon.
This year’s race will be run under new direction after Ironman Triathlon bought the rights to the Vineman brand last October, along with the grueling Full Ironman Vineman to be run on July 30.
Although under new ownership, much of the face of Vineman remains the same. Founder/Race Director Russ Pugh has stayed on to produce the races, along with veteran Assistant Race Director Amy Latourette. Longtime official and spokesman Dave Latourette has also stayed on as race announcer.
Among the top destination triathlons in the world, the Vineman 70.3 is has been a member of the Ironman 70.3 World Championship global qualifying races since 2006.
“Vineman has been an iconic race for more than 25 years and we feel privileged to have the Vineman team and events join the Ironman family,” Ironman Chief Executive Officer Andrew Messick said in a press release. “The acquisition of these races furthers our commitment to Northern California and we look forward to continuing the growth and history of these great events.”
The 2016 edition of the event begins just after dawn at Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville with a 1.2-mile swim, continues with a 56-mile bike segment through several grape-growing regions and finishes up with a 13.1-mile run ending at Windsor High School.
The race will feature an elite pro field vying for $50,000 in prize money and ranking points for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships to be held later this year in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Outside of the World Championship races, the Vineman 70.3 is typically one of the deepest and strongest pro fields assembled in North America each year. The 2016 event is expected to draw another world class group of entrants, including four-time Vineman champion Meredith Kessler of San Francisco, who will attempt to win her fifth straight race.
Other top women expected to compete are; Holly Lawrence, Rachel McBride, Caroline Steffen, Annabel Luxford, Helle Frederiksen, Lauren Brandon, Jennifer Spieldenner, Melanie McQuaid, Lisa Roberts and Emily Cocks.
Top male contenders include; defending champion Sam Appleton, former Vineman winners Craig Alexander, Luke Bell, Terenzo Bozzone, Andy Potts, and Tim Reed. Other notables are highly regarded athletes Tim Don, Richie Cunningham, Ben Hoffman and Jake Montgomery.
The “race within a race” will also showcase a group of the top age-group athletes vying for bragging rights and 50 coveted qualifying spots for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships this fall.
Economic boon for Sonoma County
The benefits of hosting the Vineman series of races go well beyond the athletic competition, with the events helping to pump millions of dollars into the local economy.
A reader’s poll by Triathlete Magazine ranked the Vineman 70.3 Ironman as the third best triathlon in America, further validating the fact that Sonoma County is a great place to visit.
The unique combination of lightly traveled, scenic wine-country roads and ideal weather, combined with the variety of activities the area offers makes it a perfect race destination for both athletes and families.
As in past years, the 2016 Ironman 70.3 Vineman Triathlon is filled to capacity, with the race filling up in several hours after registration opened in November.
Economic impact studies have been conducted in recent years for other Ironman Triathlon events around the country, confirming that the economic impact on Sonoma County has been significant.
The Ironman 70.3 Vineman has been known to attract over 10,000 spectators on race day, many of which patronize local restaurants, bars and hotels.
Unlike other events such as the Amgen Tour of California, which requires the local host municipalities to pay a significant fee for hosting rights, the Vineman races have no direct costs to the host community.
For more information on the upcoming Vineman events, visit the official race website at Ironman.com/vineman.
