Ironman racing returns to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho this weekend as a huge field of 2,800 registered athletes will be competing in the picturesque city just outside of Spokane, Washington. There hasn’t been a full-distance race in Coeur d’Alene since 2017, but this weekend’s race promises to make up for lost time.
The stacked pro field (click here for the full start list) will be after a piece of the US$100,000 prize purse. Headlining the men’s race is Canada’s Lionel Sanders, who, as has been the norm for his races this year, offered up some insights to his preparation with the first episode of his Ironman Coeur d’Alene Race Week videos today. In the video it is clear that Sanders is brimming with confidence and appears ready for a tough month of racing ahead – after Coeur d’Alene the Canadian will take on Jan Frodeno in a special full-distance race in Germany. (You can watch the video below.)
After their epic race at the Ironman 70.3 North American Championship in St. George, Utah in May, triathlon fans are eagerly anticipating the race between Sanders and his rival Sam Long (USA), but those aren’t the only men in the field with the potential to compete for the podium. Great Britain’s Joe Skipper has a number of Ironman wins on his resume, as do Patrik Nilsson (SWE), Cody Beals (CAN) and Matt Russell (USA).
American Heather Jackson highlights the women’s field, but there are lots of women who are more than capable of competing for the win, too. Australian Carrie Lester won three full-distance races in 2019 alone, while American Linsey Corbin is an eight-time Ironman champion. Others to watch for include Great Britain’s Fenella Langridge, along with Americans Lauren Brandon and Kelly Fillnow.
