This year's Ironman St. George is less than a month away, but there are no guarantees about the event's future beyond 2012.Registrations are down for the second year in a row, showing the event continues to struggle to match its sold-out 2010 debut. While most of the World Triathlon Corporation's 11 North American Ironman triathlons sell out every year, the St. George event has been an exception. The Spectrum
Though the WTC previously signed a contract stipulating that Ironman events would be hosted in St. George until at least 2014, city officials said nothing is set in stone. Several factors have been identified as contributing to the event's difficulty with selling out. One issue is timing - Ironman St. George's early May race date makes it the first event in Ironman's U.S. race circuit. That means training for the event is difficult for those living in colder climates.
Another factor was the course's difficulty. Ironman St. George was touted as having one of the toughest courses in the country, but that reputation may have kept some participants from signing up.
