By Leslie Albrecht
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — World-class endurance athletes will soon get a chance to put themselves to the test in a world-class city.
New York City will host the 2012 Ironman U.S. Championship, a grueling competition that combines a 26.2-mile marathon run, a 112-mile bike ride and a 2.4-mile swim in the Hudson River.
Upper West Siders will get a front-row seat to the finale of the sweat-soaked triathlon. The final segment, the marathon, kicks off in Fort Lee, New Jersey and ends in the Upper West Side's Riverside Park, not far from the Boat Basin Cafe near West 79th Street.
This is the first time that New York has hosted an Ironman competition, said race organizer John Korff. For athletes, competing in a big city is a unique thrill, Korff said.
"It's like being on Broadway," Korff said. "It's the world's biggest stage."
About 2,500 competitors are expected for the 140.6-mile race.
Race organizers have been working for the past seven years to bring an Ironman competition to New York City, Korff said. A massive organizational and logistical undertaking, the race required approvals from more than 150 local agencies, Korff said.
To make way for the cycling segment, New Jersey's Palisades Parkway will be closed to traffic for the first time 72 years, according to Korff. In all, 146 miles of streets and roads will be closed for the race.
Race organizers plan to use ferries to transport athletes and spectators between Manhattan and New Jersey.
"That instantly cut our problems by about 90 percent," Korff said. "If there were spectator buses going over the George Washington Bridge and there was a Yankees game going it would be a miserable experience."
Registration for the 2012 Ironman U.S. Championship in New York City opens on Wed. June 15 at Noon. Check out the official website of the Ironman U.S. Championship for more information.
