Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid will take place for the tenth time in 2008 as just over 2,000 athletes from around the world take part in this international event.
Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid is the oldest Ironman event in the continental United States and is also one of the most popular triathlons in the world. Registration for the 2008 event closed in just a few hours. Through its continued association with Ironman, Lake Placid and the surrounding Adirondack communities have become a well-known triathlon destination for training and race preparation.
The community of Lake Placid has supported the Ironman cause since our inaugural event almost ten years ago," said North America Sports President Graham Fraser. "We have a great group of committed volunteers from the area that have helped to make the event possible, some of whom have been with the event since the beginning."
Athletes competing in the 2008 Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid Triathlon will be competing for 80 qualifying spots to the 2008 Ford Ironman World Championship held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
A who's who of top Ironman triathletes have competed in Lake Placid over the past nine years, including Ironman legend and eight-time Ironman World Champion Paula Newby-Fraser, former Ironman World Champions Thomas Hellriegel of Germany and Heather Fuhr of Canada. Fuhr has won the Lake Placid event a record five times. The event has seen some epic battles including at the 2007 event which featured an exciting race between with Belinda Granger of Australia taking the win just ahead of first year pro Tyler Stewart of the USA.
Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid, while fitting the bill as a truly international event, also has a unique tie with the Adirondack communities that are its host, as more than 3,000 people volunteer for the event. For more information on Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid, please log onto www.ironmanusa.com.
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