PANAMA CITY BEACH − Athletes are slated to flood the Beach during the weekend for the 44th IRONMAN 70.3 Gulf Coast.
As director of the race, Ben Rausa said he expects for the event to garner about 1,800 athletes. It will be held in Panama City Beach on May 9, impacting various roads and traffic patterns throughout the area.
The race boats a 1.2-mile swim in the Gulf of Mexico, a 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run along local roads. Bad weather conditions last year caused race officials to not only cancel the swim, but also end the entire event early.
"We're just looking for some great weather," Rausa said. "The forecast looks really good right now. We know it's subject to change, but we have a lot of contingency plans for inclement weather or anything that we face that's a challenge."
Multiple roads will be impacted during the race. They include:
• Front Beach Road near the Edgewater property from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Front Beach Road near Middle Beach Road
• Front Beach Road near West Pier Park Drive
• Panama City Beach Parkway near Pier Park Drive
• Philip Griffitts Sr. Parkway near Fairway Circle
• Philip Griffitts Sr. Parkway near State 79
• State 79 North near West Bay Bridge
• State 79 North near State 388
• State 79 North near Latitude Margaritaville Watersound
• State 79 North near Vinson Road
• State 79 South near Pine Log Road
• State 79 South near Steel Field Road
• State 79 South near Latitude Margaritaville Watersound
• State 79 South near State 388
• State 79 South near Gayle's Trail
• Panama City Beach Parkway near Ashley Drive
• Panama City Beach Parkway near Downing Street
• Panama City Beach Parkway near Wild Heron
• Panama City Beach Parkway near Front Beach Road
• Panama City Beach Parkway near Camp Helen State Park entrance
• Panama City Beach Parkway near Camp Helen State Park exit
• Panama City Beach Parkway near Front Beach Road
• Front Beach Road near Laguna Beach
• Front Beach Road near South Arnold Road roundabout
• Front Beach Road near Hills Road
• Front Beach Road near Middle Beach Road merge
• Front Beach Road near Lyndell lane
• Middle Beach Road near Edgewater exit
• Middle Beach Road near Grand Panama
• Middle Beach Road near Alf Coleman Road
• Middle Beach Road near Clara Avenue
• Front Beach Road near Dogwood Street
• Front Beach Road near Clara Avenue
• Front Beach Road near Alf Coleman Road
• Front Beach Road near Grand Panama
• Front Beach Road near Richard Jackson Boulevard
• Richard Jackson Boulevard near Edgewater entrance
"We have an amazing relationship with the county, the city and all the emergency services we work hand-in-hand with," Rausa said. "We just have an open line of communication to handle anything that comes our way."
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Beach to host 44th IRONMAN 70.3 Gulf Coast on May 9
