Ironman race expected to bring $2M boost to WMass
SPRINGFIELD – The winning time for last year's Ironman 70.3 Western Massachusetts triathlon was 3 hours, 58 minutes and 45 seconds.
But for Springfield business, the winning number is $2 million.
That, says Mary Kay Wydra, is the estimated local economic impact the race will have on the region, as it brings nearly 1,400 athletes and their boosters to the Pioneer Valley for Sunday's race.
That money will be spent on meals, lodging, admission to other attractions, salaries and other things.
'Any time downtown sees an increase in foot traffic, event participation, it benefits all businesses,' said Raymond Berry, president and general manager of White Lion Brewing. 'The spillover hits the restaurants, the entertainment district, the hotels.'
White Lion is in Tower Square, near the race finish line on Court Square and the 'athletes' village' in the MassMutual Center.
Registrations of 1,380 heading into race week are basically on par with 2024's numbers and ahead of the inaugural race in 2023, Wydra said.
Hotels in the area are full. But that might be because of other events, like high school graduations or Springfield's Pride festival.
Most Ironman athletes from out of town stay over because of the need to check in at the MassMutual Center either Friday or Saturday and attend a course safety meeting.
Competitors from out of town are likely to use a service like Airbnb versus a hotel, Wydra said. Top competitors have nutritional regimes and like to have access to a kitchen.
Local participants include a relay team of Westfield Mayor Michael McCabe, West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt and West Springfield State Rep. Michael Finn. Finn will swim, McCabe will run and Reichelt will bike, Wydra said.
The Ironman Group is owned by Advance, parent company of The Republican and MassLive.
The local Ironman will have 100 additional volunteers in its third year, for a new total of more than 820 people staffing aid stations, lifeguarding, patrolling the Connecticut River in kayaks or checking in athletes prior to race day.
The race begins at about 6 a.m. Sunday at the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club in North Riverfront Park with a 1.2-mile point-to-point swim in the Connecticut River.
The swim will be followed by a 56-mile bicycle course that heads west into the Hilltowns and back and finishes with a 13.1-mile run from downtown through Springfield's Forest Park and back. Maps are available online at www.ironman.com.
The Connecticut River is the most variable player in the day, capable of changing.
Race director Roland Nel said Wednesday the water is tested for contaminants and bacteria starting two weeks before race day.
But heavy rains – even rain well upriver in Vermont and New Hampshire — can change conditions quickly, said Ben Quick, executive director of the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club. Spring rains had an effect on the Connecticut.
'I would say cantankerous,' Quick said.
But the weather has been better, putting the river in a better mood. 'At the moment it is on a trajectory to be perfect conditions for race day,' he said.
According to the National Weather Service, the Connecticut River at Springfield was at 76.6 feet above sea level on Wednesday and expected to drop further before the weekend
Flood stage is 20 feet or higher.
Good conditions are ideal for a high-profile event and can help get more people interested in recreation on the Connecticut. 'We consider the Ironman event a fantastic promotion for all the things we support,' Quick said. 'Which is getting people excited about outdoor, on-water recreation.'
The club has about 100 participants now, a number that'll double when kayaking begins June 14. 'That is most people's first exposure ... which we are happy to provide,' he said.
The Springfield Sprints rowing regatta will be held June 14, the first full-scale regatta on this section of the Connecticut River since 1985, Quick said.
Dale Glenn of Holyoke is the Ironman 70.3 Western Massachusetts volunteer coordinator. This year, those helping include Scout groups, teachers and students.
'I'm proud of that,' Glenn said.
She got involved because friends were competing. She wasn't able to make that commitment, but wanted to be a part of Ironman.
Nel said volunteers keep the athletes going.
'We are elevating our athletes' experiences (by) getting the community involved,' he said. 'We are trying to make it so that when athletes come, they are inspired to carry on.'
The Pioneer Valley event is popular with triathletes because its course mimics the twice-as-long Ironman in Lake Placid, New York, in July.
'The hilly climbs of Western Massachusetts are similar to Lake Placid,' Nel said. 'Racing here is a good indication of how the legs are feeling for Lake Placid.'
Read the original article on MassLive.
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