Ironman New York-New Jersey 2013 registration suspended - New York News | NYC Breaking News

Ironman New York-New Jersey 2013 registration suspended; race could be canceled

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MYFOXNY.COM -

Just days after the inaugural Ironman triathlon in the New York-New Jersey area, registration for the 2013 edition of the race has been suspended, according to a statement from World Triathlon Corporation, which has refunded fees to early registrants.

Although many athletes praised the triathlon, the first Ironman race in the New York City metropolitan area, World Triathlon Corporation said a number of participants said the logistics of the race need improvement.

"Producing an event in a large urban market is complex and challenging," the company's statement said. "The combination of the ferries, transition in Palisades State Park, an inability to have amplified sound in Riverside Park after 10 p.m. and the difficulty for our spectators to watch much of the race all combined to create an athlete and spectator experience that we need to improve."

The race featured a 2.4-mile swim in the Hudson River, a 112-mile bike ride along the Palisades Interstate Parkway in New Jersey and New York, and a 26.2-mile run over the George Washington Bridge into Manhattan, ending in Riverside Park.

"Addressing the logistical complexity requires us to reconfigure a number of elements in our race," the statement said. "Given the changes we believe are necessary for the 2013 event, we need to do more work to assess whether it is viable at a price point that our athletes find reasonable."

World Triathlon Corporation said it traditionally opens registration for the following year the day after a race to allow certain athletes and volunteers to gain guaranteed entry before general registration opens.

"In retrospect, it was a mistake," WTC said. "We should have taken the time to listen to our athletes, partners and municipalities before we opened registration."

The company said it would work with partners and officials with the affected municipalities to see if staging another Ironman in the area is feasible.

More than 2,500 athletes participated in August 11's Aquadraat Sports Ironman U.S. Championship.

Jordan Rapp, a winner of several Ironman titles, won the men's race. Mary Beth Ellis was the top woman finisher.

One triathlete, Andy Naylor, a 43-year-old police officer from Hong Kong, experienced distress during the swim and later died at a hospital.

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