Visit Sacramento: Impact of Ironman California triathlon bigger than expected
SACRAMENTO - Preparations are complete and now on Sunday comes Sacramento's second annual Ironman California competition.
Tens of thousands of athletes and spectators will gather in downtown Sacramento for the race, rounding off three weekends in a row for major events in the city.
Experts say it's also a big win for local businesses.
Tens of thousands of people from around the world are in Sacramento this weekend for the city's second annual Ironman California competition.
"We had a great race last year, and now this year, in its second year, it's already become the largest full-distance Ironman in northern America," said David Eadie, Chief of Sports and Entertainment with Visit Sacramento.
The race will include a 2.5-mile swim in the American and Sacramento rivers, a 112-mile bike ride throughout the county, and a marathon around downtown ending at the capital.
"Ironman itself, our estimates show about $15 million of economic impact to the city," said Eadie.
The event is expected to draw more than 3,000 athletes from 53 countries. Over the past few weeks, the spotlight was on Sacramento with the combination of Aftershock and Golden Sky music festivals, following the Farm to Fork Festival in September.
"I think we got a really diverse mix of activities now on our annual calendar. It's really exciting," said Eadie.
Over the past few weeks, visitors from far and wide gathered in Sacramento, helping local restaurants and hotels stay full.
"Honestly, the economic impact of it is bigger than we thought," said Eadie.
Visit Sacramento says the city recently renewed its partnership with Ironman for another five years.
