The Roanoker - November/December 2019 - 14

IRONMAN Comes to Roanoke

HE CARILION CLINIC IRONMAN 70.3
triathlon of Virginia's Blue Ridge area will be hosted
in the Roanoke Valley for the June 7, 2020 event,
which was previously hosted in Williamsburg, Virginia.
The triathlon will feature the natural beauty of the Blue
Ridge region, including Carvin's Cove Reservoir, Botetourt
County and downtown Roanoke on the Roanoke River
Greenway.
Keats McGonigal, Senior Regional Director of the
IRONMAN Group and Site Coordinator for the triathlon,
says, "The passion of the people in Roanoke to host an
IRONMAN 70.3 event is top notch. We always want to
host events where athletes will be welcomed with open arms
and we are confident that athletes will feel the hospitality of
the entire community."
Hosting the IRONMAN 70.3 event will not only
showcase the natural beauty of the region on a global scale
but will also increase tourism to the outdoor recreation hub
of Western Virginia.
Western Virginia Water Authority is partnering with
IRONMAN to use Carvin's Cove Reservoir for the
swimming portion of IRONMAN. Carvin's Cove is owned
by WVWA as a drinking water reservoir, where swimming
is typically not allowed. The reservoir was chosen for the
swimming event due to its close proximity to the Roanoke
metro area and the calmer waters.
"This was a not a decision we took lightly, and we have
worked closely with race organizers to make sure that the
water quality and beauty of Carvin's Cove will be preserved
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

for the benefit of all residents," says Sarah Baumgardner,
Public Relations Manager for Western Virginia Water
Authority.
Baumgardner said swimming in the reservoir is typically
not allowed for safety considerations, as WVWA "would
not be able to provide adequate safety or preservation of the
beauty everyone enjoys at the Cove."
"If someone had an emergency in any of the many coves
in the reservoir, we would not know help was needed until
it was much too late," Baumgardner says. "The IRONMAN
staff and many volunteers will provide safety and rescue staff
for the athletes during the race."
McGonigal said the IRONMAN Group expects upwards
of 7,500 visitors in the Roanoke area for the triathlon, which
will bring more attention to the Blue Ridge region.
"IRONMAN is a globally recognized brand. Bringing
Carilion Clinic IRONMAN 70.3 Virginia's Blue Ridge
triathlon to Roanoke will elevate the profile of the area on
a global basis," McGonigal says.
Dr. Thomas K. "TK" Miller, vice chair of orthopaedics and
chief of sports medicine at Carilion Clinic and Chairman of
the IRONMAN Global Medicine Advisory Board, says he
is excited about the triathlon coming to the Roanoke Valley.
"We knew this would provide us with a very special
opportunity to showcase one of the region's greatest assets-
the outdoors- to a national and international audience. The
selection of Virginia's Blue Ridge region as an IRONMAN
host is a remarkable accomplishment and opportunity. It's an
honor for everyone who calls our region home," Miller says.
-JENNIFER RIALES
TheRoanoker.com

COURTESY OF VISIT VIRGINIA'S BLUE RIDGE

The popular triathlon is exciting the region for far more than just the athletic component.

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The Roanoker - November/December 2019

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