Categorized | Multi-sport, Sports

2010 Ironman lottery opens Oct. 1

MEDIA RELEASE

A mainstay in the history of the Ironman, the Ironman lottery began in 1983 thanks to the vision of one of Ironman’s founders, John Collins, as a way to provide athletes of all abilities the opportunity to qualify for the world’s most challenging one day endurance event. 

The 2010 Ironman Lottery Program officially opens 6 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1 and will close Feb. 28, with winning entries being announced April 15. 

The Ironman World Championship selects 200 athletes each year to participate through a lottery system. One hundred and fifty of the athletes will be selected from United States applicants and 50 athletes will be selected from other countries. 

Athletes selected through the Ironman Lottery must have completed an event that is 70.3 (1.2 Mile, 56 Mile + 13.1 Mile) distance or greater within one year of the 2010 world championship to validate his/her lottery slot.

As part of the lottery process, Ironman in 1990 established the Passport Club in the United States. This year the Passport Club has been opened to athletes worldwide. The Passport Club offers many benefits including increasing your chances to be selected through the lottery.

U.S. APPLICANTS

There will be 150 lottery slots available to the U.S. applicants, with 100 names drawn from the Passport Club. An additional 50 names will be drawn from U.S applicants and any unselected Passport Club members.  

INTERNATIONAL ATHLETES

There are 50 lottery slots available to international applicants, including 25 names drawn from the Passport Club. Another 25 names will be drawn from international applicants and any unselected Passport Club members.  

PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED LOTTERY APPLICANTS

Five names will be drawn for the Oct. 9, 2010 Ironman World Championship from the total applicants applying in the following categories:

Lower Extremity – This includes single below-the-knee amputees, in which a standard bicycle is used, and run with a prosthesis or crutches.

Wheelchair One – This division consists of single above-the-knee amputees who ride a standard bicycle, but use a racing chair on the run.

Wheelchair Two – This division consists of athletes who have double below-the-knee or a double above-the-knee amputation. These athletes ride a standard bicycle and use a racing chair on the run.

Upper Extremity – This is an athlete who has one arm amputated above or below the elbow, in which they will use a prosthesis on the bike.

Blind – This is for athletes who are legally blind, 20/200 with best corrected vision, requiring a handler throughout the race. They will use a tandem bike and will be tethered during the swim and the run.

Athletes are required to submit:

• Medical description of physical disability from primary care physician.

• A letter from his/her physician validating athlete’s fitness and ability to meet the physical demands of an Ironman event.

Upon review of information received all eligible athletes will be registered for the physically challenged lottery. Any application received with incomplete information will not be processed for the lottery draw. Any decision on whether or not an athlete meets the criteria for a specific division is at WTC’s sole discretion.  

HAND CYCLE DIVISION ATHLETES

Physically challenged athletes who are paraplegic, quadriplegic or double above-the-knee amputees, and race using a handcranked cycle on the bike segment, and a racing chair for the run segment, will be able to compete for two male slots and one female slot at the Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake and two male slots and one female slot at Ironman 70.3 Antwerp.  

Ironman has contracted an independent accounting firm to supervise and certify the 2010 U.S. and International Ironman Lotteries.

— Find out more:

www.ironman.com or e-mail lottery@ironman.com

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