THE FRONT ROW WITH BRUCE BOURQUIN: Friday, Aug. 19, 2016

In what I’m sure will be a fun-filled weekend with Ironman Coeur d’Alene coming to town this Sunday, there’s only one thing missing.

No professionals will be racing.

This weekend, quite a few pros who are trying to race for points and prizes will also be competing in several different races around the world. There are Ironman races in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Kalmar, Sweden (for women only), Copenhagen, Denmark (for men only), as well as an Ironman 70.3 Timberman in Gilford, N.H. Coeur d’Alene will be an age group-only race. Of course, there was an Ironman Coeur d’Alene 70.3 in late June, which meant the full race was moved from late June to August.

In an announcement last year on the Ironman website, there was a professional field structure change for this year. They were made in an effort to provide some of the longest-running races with pro fields that feature them independently. So competitors like Andy Potts and Heather Jackson, who were here in June for the Ironman 70.3, will not be here on Sunday for the 6 a.m. start. The event will feature a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run.

BUT THERE will still be more than 1,600 triathletes competing from 42 states and 22 countries.

Minus the pros, this allows competitors a slightly better chance to nail down one of 25 qualifying slots for the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, set for Oct. 8. Human interest stories for those planning on competing include Noah Cooper, who has overcome six major knee surgeries. He will also race for Team Gleason and fundraise for the Gleason Initiative Foundation. Steve Gleason, who the foundation is named after, is a former NFL player with the New Orleans Saints who also played for Washington.

Another cool story is John Cummings, a retired former sergeant for the New York City Police Department who was a first responder on Sept. 11, 2001 in New York and is a radiation therapist who treats cancer patients. The 62-year-old from Bay Shore, N.Y. will be racing for those he is caring for and who lost their lives during his service. He’s already completed four Ironman races and has climbed Mt. Rainier.

Another athlete is Cherokee Avriett of Hayden, an 18-year-old who will be the youngest one to compete in Coeur d’Alene. I’m sure he’s thrilled to be able to compete in his first Ironman.

By the way, the local forecast is for temperatures in the high 80s or low 90s on Sunday, so it could be a scorcher — though not the oven that was last year’s 105-degree full Ironman here in June.

THE COURSE will take competitors through the long swim just west of Independence Point. After slipping off their wet suits and into their cycling clothes and helmets, the bike portion starts and finishes directly north of Lake Coeur d’Alene. It will take them through a hilly, sometimes windy area southwest down U.S. 95 past Setters Road, then they’ll make a U-turn, bike all the way near the original start and finish area, southeast through Mullan Ave., Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive, then back northwest to the finish line.

The running portion goes toward Front Avenue, then south around McEuen Park, south on Eighth Street, then eventually right on Centennial Trail, parallel to Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive.

THERE ARE all kinds of events on Saturday, including live music and an opening ceremony tonight at 5 p.m. and a one-mile Ironkids Coeur d’Alene Fun Run that morning. So it’ll still be well worth watching people biking, running and swimming their hearts out, trying to finish the challenging course by the end of the race at 11:20 p.m.

So just because the great pro triathletes will not be in this race, doesn’t mean it won’t be a thrilling, exhilirating event with plenty of good times for this community.

Bruce Bourquin is a sports writer at The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2013, via e-mail at [email protected] or via Twitter @bourq25