‘This community comes out': Athletes, spectators relish Ironman 70.3 Happy Valley

On Sunday, athletes swam at Bald Eagle State Park, cycled up Nittany Summit and ran through Penn State’s Beaver Stadium at the Ironman 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley North American Championship.

Participants ranged in age from 18 to 80, with many amateurs hailing from in and around Centre County while some professionals traveled internationally for the 70.3-mile triathlon. Trevor Foley was the overall winner, with a time of 3 hours, 42 minutes and 25 seconds.

“I’m on cloud nine,” he said after crossing the finish line on Curtin Road.

Paula Findlay led the pro women at 4:14.02. Arthur Benson won the men’s amateur triathlon in 4:08:31, and Julia Day won the women’s amateur triathlon in 4:41:54.

Foley and Findlay were among the 80 professional athletes competing in this year’s Ironman 70.3 Happy Valley, one of 16 events in the Experience Oman Pro Series circuit and a North American Championship event. That means the stakes of this year’s Happy Valley triathlon were bigger than ever. Pros are vying for end-of-year honors such as the Pro Series Champion title, a share of the $1.7 million prize purse and a spot in the World Championship in France.