The Ironman 70.3 series culminates each year with a World Championship competition, for which competitors qualify during the 70.3 series in the 12 months prior to the championship race.
In 2011, the 70.3 Championship venue changed to Las Vegas, and the date of the event moved up in the calendar to September.
Lake Las Vegas is the site of the event's swim.
An athlete's five highest-scoring races are counted toward their pro rankings.
At qualifying events, slots are allocated to each age group category, male and female, with the number of slots given out based on that category's proportional representation of the overall field.