Posted on Tuesday 13th July 2021
As IRONMAN 70.3 Staffordshire returns to the county this weekend, people are being reminded to check for local road closures and all athletes encouraged to take lateral flow tests.
This will be the first large event taking place in Staffordshire since the pandemic began, and Covid-19 restrictions will still be in place.
Around 1,000 athletes from across the UK and internationally take part in the triathlon, which has a route spanning four district areas this Sunday, July 18. Athletes must fill in a pre-event health questionnaire to be able to come to registration and they will be temperature screened on arrival. A Staffordshire County Council testing van which will be parked on Riverway in Stafford.
People are being advised to check the route and timings if they’re planning on travelling on the day. Some one-way road closures will be in place and people can find out details, including specific timings, on the IRONMAN 70.3 Staffordshire website at www.ironman.com/im703-staffordshire
The 56-mile cycle route through Staffordshire countryside will take in the villages of Nethertown, Yoxall, Hanbury, Marchington and Abbot’s Bromley, then over Blithfield Reservoir and into Rugeley town centre. Riders will then follow the A513 through Milford before heading to Stafford along Tixall Road.
The half-marathon distance two-and-a-half loop run route starts at Riverway, Stafford, and follows the River Sow path to the town centre and then on to Stafford Castle along the A518 Newport Road. It finishes in the Market Square.
Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills Philip White said:
We’re reminding Staffordshire residents of road closures this Sunday due to IRONMAN 70.3 and to enjoy the event safely keeping to current Covid-19 guidelines. It’s great to see the event back in Staffordshire after its absence last year, which helps to showcase the county. We expect to see around 1,000 athletes take part, bringing in families and friends from across the UK and beyond.
We’d ask athletes to take a lateral flow test and remind people to check the route and planned closures for on the day which will be lifted as the event progresses.”