Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas triathlon set to kick off the 2022 North America full distance IRONMAN triathlon season of racing this Saturday

THE WOODLANDS, TX – This Saturday, The Woodlands will be all set to host the North America IRONMAN triathlon season opener. A strong professional field of triathletes will descend on the 11th edition of Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas as they vie for a total professional prize purse of $100,000.

The IRONMAN course will lead athletes along a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run throughout The Woodlands and surrounding areas. This race will offer 45 qualifying slots to the 2022 Supersapiens IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i taking place on Oct. 6 & 8, 2022.

Participants registered for this year represent a wide variety of athletes, including:

• 18-year-old Bridget Foote from West Chester Pa. is the youngest female athlete racing
• 18-year-old Chance Andrew Victoria from Saline, Mich. is the youngest male athlete racing
• 74-year-old Cullen Goodyear Grabow from North Vancouver, B.C. Canada is the oldest female athlete racing
• 81-year-old Abdel Fustok Bellarie, Texas is the oldest male athlete racing

Occupations of the participants include airline pilot, clergy, dentist, flight attendant, fire fighter, engineer, healthcare professional, scientist, musician, lifeguard, and writer/publisher.

Starting this Wednesday, April 20, the IRONMAN Village will be open from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Waterway Parking Lot. Thursday starting at 5:30 p.m. will be the Welcome Banquet at the Marriott Hotel, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. will be the Mandatory Bike & Gear Bag Check-In at Town Green Park.

On Race Day, the schedule is as follows:

• 5:00 a.m. – 6:15 a.m. Transition area open – Town Green Park
• 6:00 a.m. – Pre-Race Show begins on Outside TV
• 6:25 a.m. Professional Men – North Shore Park
• 6:30 a.m. Professional Women – North Shore Park
• 6:40 a.m. Age Group Race Rolling Start – North Shore Park
• Approx. 1:20 p.m. First finisher expected at the finish line.
• 12:40 a.m. (Sunday) Race Ends (17 hours after the last athlete enters the water)

The IRONMAN Foundation® will distribute $100,000 in charitable giveback to nonprofit initiatives and groups in The Woodlands region in conjunction with the 2022 Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas triathlon. This year’s grant funding brings the total giveback to more than $1.33 million in the region since inception.

Grants are distributed through Community and Volunteerism grant opportunities. This year, community grants will be awarded to several local organizations including Angel Reach, Cherish Our Children, Inc. Education for Tomorrow Alliance, Team Catapult and more. Projects supported by these grants include shelter and food security, increasing access to the sport of triathlon, career exploration programming for local youths, and more. To learn more about the IRONMAN Foundation and donate, visit www.ironmanfoundation.org.

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