Exactly one month ago Slowtwitch reported that WTC would take over the production of most of the races produced by the Columbia Triathlon Association (CTA). That followed by only 5 days a Slowtwitch report on the imminent demise of the series produced by the 30 year old CTA. The WTC did not know of the depth of the problems at the CTA until it read that story, and it took under a week to reach an agreement in principle to produce CTA’s multisport and Ironman-branded events.
The UCF had evinced an interest in certain of CTA’s races almost immediately when the news broke that the CTA’s series was in trouble. The UCF is not without resources and manpower to produce events, as Kari Ebeling, a program director for the UCF, is the CTA’s former executive director. Neither Ms. Ebeling nor the UCF’s Brock Yetso, its CEO, could be reached for comment.
“We were initially focused on Eagleman,” said Andrew Messick, Ironman’s CEO. “That drove our urgency. Chesapeake man was a little understood piece in the early hours and days that quickly emerged into a real opportunity for us.“
Cheseapeakeman had not opened for registration, and it was very questionable whether it would have. The CTA intended to produce only 6 or 7 out of what used to be a 10-race season, and Cheseapeakeman was unlikely to make the cut. The Ironman that will take its place will sit on the same weekend as Chesapeakeman but the course, while sharing certain elements common with Ironman Eagleman 70.3, will be different than the old Chesapeakeman course.