Des Moines will host a full-distance Ironman triathlon next year as it becomes the designated site for the 2022 Ironman North American Championship. In an announcement Wednesday, organizers said the event is scheduled for June 12, 2022. General registration opens on Nov. 1. The announcement comes on the heels of Des Moines hosting the Ironman 70.3 event last summer. Keats McGonigal, vice president of operations in North America for the Ironman Group, said the latest announcement is the continuation of a “fantastic partnership,” with Des Moines. “There isn’t a better venue to host this race than Des Moines, and we know that having this city as the host for the 2022 Ironman North American Championship will showcase this region of the country,” McGonigle said. “We look forward to building the foundation for a long-lasting legacy of Ironman events in Des Moines.” In a release, organizers cited the region’s accessibility by air and road, and amenities that provide cultural and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, in its decision to come to Des Moines. The Ironman North American Championship Des Moines triathlon will offer qualifying slots to the 2023 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Greg Edwards, president and CEO of Catch Des Moines, said hosting the Ironman 70.3 was the warmup for next year. “Des Moines put in the work and everything from the course to the communitywide support impressed. Now we’re prepared to put in twice the work and have twice as much fun hosting the prestigious full-distance Ironman North American Championship,” he said.