Des Moines – SportsTravel

Des Moines, Iowa, will host the 2023, 2026 and 2030 AAU Junior Olympic Games, bringing an economic impact of $44 million per year to the area.

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AAU Junior Olympic Games Headed to Des Moines in 2026 and 2030

Greater Des Moines will host the AAU Junior Olympic Games in 2026 and 2030. This announcement comes as the Iowa destination prepares to host the 2023 AAU Junior Olympic Games from July 26 to August 5. The AAU Junior Olympic Games is the largest multi-sport event for youth in the U.S. and will feature 12 […]

Posted On : August 22, 2022 By : Justin Shaw

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Letter From Iowa: The State Games, the Dew Tour and the Power of Sports

Sports play a vital economic role for destinations looking to attracting visitors. They also, in their finest moments, provide inspiring examples of humanity at its best. Over the weekend of July 29–30 in Ames and Des Moines, Iowa, two events — one amateur, one professional — spoke to each of those aspects. They also served […]

Posted On : August 2, 2022 By : Jason Gewirtz

Zion Wright competes at the 2021 Dew Tour at Lauridsen Skatepark in Des Moines, Iowa. The new venue opened in 2021 and is the largest skatepark in America. Photo courtesy of Catch Des Moines

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Summer Series: Des Moines Continues to Add Large Sporting Events

(SportsTravel will be profiling destinations throughout the summer as visitors bureaus and sports commissions are operating events without nearly any restrictions for the first real time since the pandemic started. Sure, there’s been moments that feel like it, but this summer feels different. If your destination has a compelling story to share, send it along […]

Posted On : July 18, 2022 By : Justin Shaw

Photo courtesy of Dew Tour.

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Dew Tour Returns to Des Moines

After a successful 2021 debut, the annual Dew Tour pro skateboard competition and festival will return to Des Moines, Iowa, on July 29 and 30 at Lauridsen Skatepark for the second consecutive year. The event will feature a finals only skateboard competition and a two-day festival with activities for all ages. The return of Dew […]

Posted On : April 26, 2022 By : Jason Gewirtz

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Ironman Awards Des Moines with 2022 North American Championship

Des Moines, Iowa, has been selected as the latest full-distance Ironman triathlon host, with the full race being designated as the 2022 Ironman North American Championship. The competition will replace a previous 70.3 race in the city. The Certified Piedmontese Ironman North American Championship Des Moines will be held June 12, 2022, with general registration […]

Posted On : October 21, 2021 By : Jason Gewirtz

The new Lauridsen Skatepark will host the 2021 Dew Tour just weeks after its official opening. Photo: Courtesy of Dew Tour

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Lauridsen Skatepark in Des Moines Bowls Over Dew Tour

Greg Edwards wasn’t sure how this site visit was going to go. As the new Lauridsen Skatepark in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, was under construction last winter, Dew Tour representatives came to see firsthand what would become the largest skatepark in the country. But winter being winter, the weather was not cooperating. “Here come all […]

Posted On : May 18, 2021 By : Jason Gewirtz

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New U.S. Ironman Triathlon Names Finalist Cities

Four finalists have been selected to serve as potential hosts for a new Ironman triathlon: Des Moines, Iowa; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event is expected to take place in late spring or early summer of 2020 and will be the first new, full-distance Ironman triathlon introduced in the United States since […]

Posted On : April 18, 2019 By : Jennifer Lee

Yankton, South Dakota—population 15,000—has made a name on the international sports scene by hosting several World Archery events. Photo courtesy of World Archery

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Feature Story

Global Scene

Every two years, the parade of nations at the Olympic Games provides a strong testament to the power of sports to bring countries together—even those that don’t get along politically. Destinations across the United States are proving the same point on a smaller scale by welcoming international competitors and spectators. Not only do these events […]

Posted On : July 23, 2018 By : Ann Shepphird