IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina Brings Thousands of Athletes and Visitors to Wilmington

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina triathlon took place Saturday with nearly 3,000 athletes and almost 1,400 volunteers. 

Competitors took on a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run ending on Water Street in Downtown Wilmington. 

Hundreds lined near the finish line to watch racers cross and be awarded their medal and hats. 

Race director Sami Winter didn’t compete this weekend but has done 127 triathlons, 45 IRONMAN 70.3s and 36 full IRONMANS. 

Having done numerous races, Winter says crossing the finish line and watching people finish is always worth it despite all the planning. 

“We work hard all year long planning this so to see it come together it just feels so good to see it all come together and know these athletes are gonna love it. Whether it’s your first or your 45th crossing, that finish line is always special, always special,” Winter said. 

For the males AJ Tucker finished first with a time of 4:07:00.  

For the females Kayla Edwards finished first with a time of 4:36:18.  

The racers got a meal provided by The Sawmill and there was a food truck for visitors. Although, all were encouraged to check out the nearby restaurants for food. 

Winters adds that the triathlon helps bring visitors to the area to shop and dine at local businesses, and the city has been welcoming to all.