By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our mobile app
ROCKFORD — Ironman, one of the most recognizable names in long-distance triathlons, is set to make its debut in Illinois with a 70.3-mile race in Rockford next year.
The Ironman 70.3 is slated to debut on Sunday, June 22, 2025, with a swim, bike and run course through the city and the countryside north of Rockford. That will be the first of three years for the race, which would return in 2026 and 2027.
The event is expected to draw thousands of athletes and spectators and pump millions of dollars into the local economy.
More news: Capri Restaurant targets August opening for carryout service in Loves Park
The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with city officials and the Illinois Office of Tourism, held a news conference Monday morning in front of The Rock Guardians of Rockford sculpture along the Rock River recreation path to announce the new event. The Rock Guardians were dressed in specially made T-shirts from Tad More Tailoring for the announcement.
The sculptures are where future Ironman athletes will begin the triathlon with a 1.2-mile swim.
Ironman said Rockford’s blend of outdoor recreation, beauty and history made the city an ideal location for the race.
“Rockford has shown itself to be an appealing Midwestern destination city with an abundance of outdoor recreation,” said Eric Atnip, race director for the Ironman 70.3 Rockford-Illinois triathlon. “We can’t wait for athletes to come experience this welcoming community and see what makes Rockford so special.”
Registration will open for the event on July 1. Go HERE for info on registering.
“Ironman 70.3 athletes push themselves to continually improve, to be better each day, to not settle for less than their personal best. The city of Rockford is like that, too. Rockford is a city on the move and gaining speed all the time,” said John Groh, president and CEO of the visitors bureau. “We’re thrilled to partner with Ironman and look forward to welcoming their athletes and fans to our city.”
The triathlon begins with a 1.2-mile downriver swim on the Rock River starting at The Rock Guardians of Rockford, a sculpture by Terese Agnew of four roughly 3-ton rock soldiers.
“This is a river swim, so if you were to come here and get a best time on a 70.3 for your swim, I apologize in advance,” Atnip joked.
The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department will have patrol boats on water to provide safety for racers.
They will get out of the water at Davis Park and begin a 56-mile single-loop bike course that moves through Rockford and northern Winnebago County.
“We’re going to roll through what I will say is some of the most beautiful rolling hills and farmland, it’s very scenic,” Atnip said. “You have to make sure that when you’re riding your bike you pay attention to how fast you’re going, because you can get very distracted with the views out there.”
The course takes riders into downtown Rockton and north to Yale Bridge Road before it loops back to downtown Rockford.
More news: Regional championships bring top wakesport athletes to showcase their skill in Rockford
Once returning to Davis Park, athletes hit the ground for a 13.1-mile two-loop run around the east and west banks of the Rock River. The course goes along the Rock River on the east bank and through neighborhoods along Harlem Boulevard and other residential streets on the west side.
“It is a beautiful racecourse,” Atnip said. “It is one of the most spectator-friendly race courses I’ve seen. I hope athletes bring all their family and friends to watch them.”
Atnip said it’s a great race for people doing their first triathlon or those trying to get their personal record and qualify for the world championships. Some will finish the race in less than four hours, others won’t finish until the eight-and-a-half hour cutoff.
The 2025 Ironman 70.3 Rockford-Illinois triathlon will offer qualifying slots to the 2025 VinFast Ironman 70.3 World Championship race in Marbella, Spain.
“I am thrilled another internationally recognized company sees the value and draw of Rockford,” Mayor Tom McNamara said. “Companies like Hard Rock International, the Chicago Blackhawks and now Ironman are choosing our community for major events and investments. This speaks volumes about Rockford’s strength, appeal and reputation as a prime destination.”
The state’s tourism incentive grant program helped bring Ironman to Rockford, said Daniel Thomas, deputy director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Tourism.
He said the triathlon here was the first major win for the roughly 6-month-old grant program. The grant program provided $800,000 to the Rockford visitors bureau. That money goes toward not only Ironman, but other events that GoRockford will work to bring here.
Thomas said Ironman’s choice to bring its first Illinois event to Rockford shows that the state has beautiful tourism options outside of Chicago.
“Rockford is home of a lot of natural outdoor beauty,” Thomas said. “When you think about big global races, big global events, they’re not just looking for the logistics … It’s also about what’s going to inspire athletes to choose the Ironman 70.3 in a naturally beautiful surrounding like this.
“That’s part of the motivation, and I think it’s part of the opportunity that we have in Illinois is leaning into our outdoor beauty and natural resources.”
More than 2,500 athletes and 10,000 fans are expected for the first event next year. Over three years, the event is expected to generate more than $24 million in economic activity, Groh said. Thomas said the state’s economic impact studies put that estimate closer to $45 million, considering roughly 3,000 athletes and 15,000 visitors. The difference, Groh said, is the range between the low end and high end of the estimate.
“The Ironman 70.3 Rockford-Illinois triathlon is a fantastic addition to our state’s sports tourism industry, bringing a significant boost to the Rockford community and its local businesses,” Thomas said. “We look forward to welcoming athletes and visitors from
around the world to experience the charm and outdoor recreation that Rockford offers.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas