Ironman volunteers down almost 1,000 from recent years

Ironman Coeur d’Alene organizers are still looking for volunteers to help with Sunday’s triathlon.

About 2,850 volunteers had registered through Thursday afternoon. In the past few years, Ironman had 3,800 volunteers sign up to help.

Registration remains open at www.ironmancda.com and will remain open through Friday night. Volunteers also can register Saturday at the information and volunteer tent in City Park.

“Recruiting volunteers in August has been a challenge,” volunteer director Dani Zibell-Wolfe said. “North Idaho has a considerable number of events in the summer, with a very busy August.”

Ironman moved the Coeur d’Alene race this year to August, from its traditional June date, to take advantage of warmer lake temperatures.

“With Ironman being toward the end of summer, families are ready to take some time for themselves as we get closer to the beginning of school,” Zibell-Wolfe said.

Volunteers are still needed in five areas:

• Motorcycles and drivers to carry officials and journalists on the bike course.
• Licensed massage therapists.
• Crowd control.
• Course marshals for bike sectors 1 and 2.
• Course marshals for run sector 2.