The most famous triathlon series in the world will make it’s triumphant return to Lake Tahoe this weekend, and athletes who have trained for months for this event have already begun arriving to the area to gain their bearings and acclimate to the high altitude, extreme topography, and unpredictable weather of the Lake Tahoe region’s course. There’s over 8,000 feet of climbing in the bike portion of the race, and according to the Ironman Tahoe website, “IRONMAN Lake Tahoe is arguably the world’s toughest course.”
Racers will begin with a chilly morning swim at Kings Beach State Recreation Area, then they’ll transition to their bikes on the beach and head to Tahoe City and on to Truckee along Hwy 89 and the Truckee River, through Truckee and back to the lake via Hwy 267, a beast of a climb that they’ll have to do twice. After the second lap through Tahoe City on their bikes, they’ll ride into Squaw Valley and begin the run, a scenic course down the West Shore and back to Squaw Valley where they’ll need to beat the midnight cutoff to be considered a finisher.
Be a spectator! Cheer on the competitors, take in the scenic course, or even volunteer at this epic event. You can take it all in from Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Truckee, and the finish line at Squaw. We’ve got you covered with info on traffic and road closures in Truckee and Tahoe. Check out the schedule of events for racers and spectators. Good luck racers!