Ironman triathlon back in Wilmington: Traffic outlook, volunteer options for Saturday's race
As Ironman 70.3 North Carolina arrives in Wilmington on Saturday, local race director Sami Winter is, of course, worried about the big things.
A mention of the weather forecast produces a hasty, and only half-joking, shush. She walked out of a recent meeting for a couple minutes because, “When the DOT calls, you answer.”
But, in her second year in charge of the area’s major triathlon event, she finds herself more apt to fix what appears, from the outside, to be the little things, too.
BREAKING ITS 'HEX':Ironman NC finally gets off the ground in 2021 after stops, starts
REMEMBERING SHAWN:Wilmington mourns loss of popular chef, endurance athlete
IRONMAN NC 2021:Athletes embrace Wilmington as triathlon comes out from COVID
“I've talked to two brides – oh my gosh, how is everybody going to get to the Ballast Hotel from my venue?” Winter said. “Helping them try to navigate that problem. And people say, ‘You do that as a race director?’ But if I can help take care of the community and make sure they go through with their lives, they’re going to say, ‘Hey, Ironman came in, but they provided me with a way to figure this out. And I reached out to the race director, and they responded to me.’”
With cancellations and adjustments from the COVID-19 pandemic coming to a close, Winter says the amount of confirmed participants is more predictable than a year ago.
The 2021 event had 2,029 finishers; this year it should surge past 2,300, the most ever for the race locally.
Participant numbers are rising, so the number of volunteers goes up with it. About 10 days before the race, Winter had filled 900 spots on a list that reaches 1,341 if completely full.
WANT TO VOLUNTEER?Click here for opportunities to help out at Saturday's race
Course layout and affordability are key factors for out-of-town athletes making their race decisions. Getting them to give good reviews, or even come back, means everything on the ground has to be great. From packet pickup to transition points in the race, that’s where Winter and her team rely on the hundreds of locals who aren’t racing to be the voice of the city.
“It takes the community to help out, she said, “And I think Wilmington has grown into that, too. Everyone raves about the volunteers, and the city. The (visitors bureau) puts our flags up. And the athletes pay attention to that.”
Winter, a veteran racer herself, rehashed her experience at Ironman Couer D’Alene (Idaho) in 2014.
“A lot of my memories from my tough races are from volunteers,” she said. “I remember pulling into (the bike-run) transition, and all these volunteers to welcome me. I was like, ‘I’m so happy to see you, and I jumped in his arms and he picked me up.
“It is the funniest picture. My feet are off the ground, he’s hugging me … It’s moments like that I remember. Not that I was shuffling at the 15th hour. Volunteers are everything.”
What’s the course for Ironman 70.3 North Carolina?
The 1.2-mile swim begins in Banks Channel at 7:10 a.m. Saturday, at the Hanover Seaside Club in Wrightsville Beach. Competitors will get into the water in waves (fastest swimmers first) and swim to Seapath Marina.
From there, they’ll cross Causeway Drive to Wrightsville Beach Park to get their bikes for a 56-mile ride. Athletes go out on Eastwood Road, make quick turns on Market Street and College Road, then turn west on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to US 421. After a loop through Pender County, they return to downtown Wilmington and park their bikes at Cape Fear Community College, near the corner of Front and Brunswick streets.
Then it’s a 13.1-mile run, mostly down Front Street to Greenfield Street, up to Fifth Street and nearly a full lap around Greenfield Lake before turning around and doubling back. The finish line is at Riverfront Park.
Wilmington traffic hotspots for Ironman 70.3 North Carolina
If you’re coming downtown for the finish line, it’ll be best to come in via Market Street or other streets from the north. Road closures and traffic stoppages will occur off Front Street throughout downtown, and the intersection of Third and Greenfield can get backed up quickly.
Restaurants and shops downtown will be open throughout the race, and fans are encouraged to come out and cheer on people from the street.
On Saturday morning, getting onto and off Wrightsville Beach will be limited by a bike lane, and Causeway Drive will be closed around Seapath Marina and Wrightsville Beach Park.
Traffic also will be stopped at Eastwood and Military Cutoff for cyclists before 10:30 a.m., so expect delays if you’re trying to get to Landfall and Mayfaire. The bike course will have dedicated lanes on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and US 421 as well, through 2 p.m.
The Isabel Holmes Bridge also will have a dedicated bike lane, which will mean some traffic slowdowns, starting in the late morning.
The run course will close quite a few downtown streets from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., including significant portions of Front Street, the intersection of Third and Wooster streets, as well as Greenfield Street between Front and Fifth streets. Around Greenfield Lake, cars will only travel counterclockwise around the lake. All vehicles entering Lake Shore Drive must turn right.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Ironman 70.3 NC 2022: Wilmington traffic, volunteer opportunities
