LA QUINTA – The newly dedicated Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park will serve as a backdrop for the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells La Quinta on Sunday, Dec. 9.
For the first time, Riverside County welcomes a new triathlon to the Coachella Valley this weekend, another addition to the valley’s event lineup that will draw 3,000 participating athletes and an estimated 6,000 spectators to Riverside County, Indian Wells and La Quinta.
The IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells La Quinta consists of a 1.2-mile swim, 56‑mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run.
The 710-acre Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park will host the swimming portion and the transition to the bike course. The bike course will take athletes onto county roads through the unincorporated Riverside County communities of Vista Santa Rosa, Thermal, and Oasis.
“We are really looking forward to showcasing Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park and the southeastern Coachella Valley to many athletes who will be experiencing our region for the first time,” Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said in a prepared statement. “This IRONMAN 70.3 event brings energy and bustle, visitors and economic impact to our area. I’m proud that our park district, transportation department and the Coachella Valley Water District, along with our hospitality partners, the Cities of Indian Wells and La Quinta, and IRONMAN, worked together to bring this event to the Coachella Valley.”
In November 2017, Lake Cahuilla Regional Park near La Quinta was renamed Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park, as the result of a unanimous vote by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.
Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel “Manny” Perez sought the name change as part of a salute to the county’s veterans.
The Coachella Valley Water District also supported the name change in formal board action.
A dedication ceremony was held in May 25.
Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park is operated by the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District via a lease with the Coachella Valley Water District and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The park, the first in the county park system in honor of veterans, features flags of each military branch, dedication plaques, lighting and landscaping pathways.
In addition to special event revenue collected for the IRONMAN 70.3 event, many of the campsites at Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park have been booked for the weekend by participants and spectators.
Registration for this competition, the North American season finale for IRONMAN, sold out for its first year.
There will be events open to the public at the IRONMAN Village at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For more details, click here.
Perez represents the eastern two-thirds of Riverside County on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. Stretching from Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs, south to the Salton Sea and east to Blythe and the Colorado River, the 4th District is the largest geographical district in the county.
