IRONMAN Arizona Presented by Waste Management Rolling Start Information
We are looking forward to a great race day in November as we work hard to finalize details for the IRONMAN® Arizona triathlon presented by Waste Management.
Due to overwhelming support for the IRONMAN® SwimSmart™ initiative, IRONMAN Arizona will utilize a rolling start format for the 2015 race. This swim format has been successful at many IRONMAN events across the globe and we believe it will further enhance the athlete experience while reducing athlete anxiety during the swim in Arizona.
The course will remain a one-loop swim and follow a clockwise flow, with athletes exiting the same stairs that they entered from. Athletes will enter the water in a continuous stream through a controlled access point at the stair entrance as they enter the water, similar to how running road races are started. An athlete’s time will start when they cross timing mats at the stairs. Athletes will be directed to self-seed on race morning based on their projected swim time. Volunteers and staff will be in the staging area with signs and will assist with this process. Self-seeding will not be mandatory, but will be encouraged.
The professional men’s field will start their day at 6:40 a.m., and the professional women will start at 6:45 a.m. Age group athletes will follow at 6:50 a.m. We anticipate that all athletes will be in the water by 7:20 a.m. All athletes will still be given the 2 hour 20 minute time limit to complete the swim portion of the race; however, the current overall cut-off times for both the bike and run course, as well as any intermediate cut-offs, will remain in place.
For additional tips to a successful swim, click here for the IRONMAN SwimSmart Top 10 Checklist.
We appreciate your understanding as we continue to try and find ways to improve our races. If you have additional questions please feel free to contact arizona@ironman.com.
We look forward to welcoming you to the finish line!
* Please note that athletes who finish before the midnight cut-off but have a finishing time of more than 17 hours will not be eligible for age-group awards or for IRONMAN World Championship slots or Rolldown slots.