CHATTANOOGA, TENN. (Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017) – The Little Debbie IRONMAN Chattanooga presented by McKee a Family Bakery and the Sunbelt Bakery IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga presented by McKee a Family Bakery ranked in the Top 10 in multiple categories in the inaugural IRONMAN Athletes’ Choice Awards. Scores were based solely on athlete surveys from all of the 2016 races globally – 40 IRONMAN and 96 IRONMAN 70.3 events.

“We are incredibly excited to receive these awards. They are a testament to the entire community and the thousands of hours of hard work spent to ensure these athletes, and their families, had the absolute best experiences in Chattanooga. We will continue to provide them with an unforgettable experience,” said Bob Doak, president and chief executive officer for the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The 11 IRONMAN events in Chattanooga will leave an estimated $100 million economic impact throughout Hamilton County.”

Every IRONMAN athlete is sent a post-event survey. In 2016, IRONMAN had 55,000 athletes respond to their survey. The 5-point satisfaction scale encompassed questions including overall satisfaction, best venue, city experience, post-race celebration, and more.

Little Debbie IRONMAN Chattanooga presented by McKee a Family Bakery received:

  • #6: Overall Satisfaction
  • #4: Overall Swim
  • #4: Best Race Venue
  • #7: Best Host City
  • #2: Best Post-Race Celebration

Sunbelt Bakery IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga presented by McKee a Family Bakery received:

  • #3/Tied: Overall Bike
  • #4/Tied: Overall Run
  • #1: Best Race Venue
  • #1: Best Host City Experience
  • #5: Will Recommend To A Friend

According to Doak, Chattanooga is 1 of 5 cities in North America to host both a full-distance IRONMAN and an IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon; 1 of 10 cities in the world to host both a full-distance IRONMAN and an IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon; and the ONLY city on the planet to host a full-distance IRONMAN, an IRONMAN 70.3 and the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship (two day event).

2017 Chattanooga IRONMAN events:

  • Sunbelt Bakery IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga presented by McKee A Family Bakery – May 21, 2017
  • IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship for Women – Sept. 9, 2017
  • IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship for Men – Sept. 10, 2017
  • Little Debbie IRONMAN Chattanooga presented by McKee A Family Bakery – Sept. 24, 2017

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ABOUT THE CHATTANOOGA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
The Chattanooga Convention & Visitors Bureau is a non-profit, Hamilton County funded organization, formed to strengthen the area economy through the marketing and promotion of the Chattanooga area as a year-round destination for meetings, conventions, sporting events and leisure travel. 

ABOUT IRONMAN
A Wanda Sports Holdings company, IRONMAN operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl®, IRONKIDS®, six of nine International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series races, road cycling events including the UCI Velothon Majors Series, mountain bike races, premier marathons and other multisport races. IRONMAN’s events, together with all other Wanda Sports Holdings events, provide more than 680,000 participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. The iconic IRONMAN® Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the inception of the IRONMAN® brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Beginning as a single race, IRONMAN has grown to become a global sensation with more than 260 events across 44 countries.