Now that Armstrong is out of the picture due to his doping problems, the duel is now expected to be between Docherty and the American Chris Lieto. It should be noted that this event will determine the 40 representatives of our area for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship which will be in Henderson, Nevada.

The World Triathlon Corporation and the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), the organizers of the competition, confirmed that this year 765 triathletes will attend the Ironman in Panama. The national government has invested $38,500 for the pool of prizes that will be distributed among the winners of the triathlon, but its organizers calculate that they will have a millionaire return investment to benefit the country.

At the press conference held yesterday, it was announced that this year the overall winners will take away a fat prize bag of $15,000, and another $900 will be distributed among the second to the ninth place finishers. Salomón Shamah, ATP director, pointed out that the hotel industry expects to fill 7,000 to 8,000 rooms during the course of this international event.

The organizers also reported that a plan has been developed to deal with the impact of vehicular traffic and allow this athletic activity to run smoothly along the plotted points of the course throughout the capital city.

Distances

Triathletes in the 2013 Panama Ironman will face-off on a fairly flat route, yet they will  be tested on their tolerance to the heat.

The event will kick off with the professionals at 6:00 a.m. at the Yacht Club on the Amador Causeway, where they will begin the triathlon with a 1.9 kilometer swim. The triathletes will then mount their bikes to ride for 90 kilometers. The final stretch will be a 21 kilometer running race, crossing the finish line at the Figali Convention Center.