When Ironman announced that it would be adding a 70.3 race to the Ironman Canada weekend in Penticton this August, more than a few people in the sport figured the move might be a signal that the event in the Okanagan Valley was soon to be cancelled.
Ironman adds 70.3 race to Ironman Canada weekend in Penticton
“The addition of the 70.3 race in Penticton might not be great news for the long-term future of the race in Penticton,” we wrote at the time. “The half-distance race was added to the Whistler event when entry numbers started to decrease, and a few years later Ironman made the move back to Penticton. Last year’s race in Penticton was cancelled due to forest fires, and the 2020 and 2021 races were cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. In 2022 there were just under 1,600 athletes who competed in the race.”
In its heyday, Penticton was one of the sport’s most iconic events, hosting one of the first Ironman Qualifying races (yes, we know Ironman New Zealand was the first!) until the race moved to Whistler in 2013. The triathlon began in 1983 and it would become the first Ironman in North America in 1986.
Through the 90s the event was so popular athletes would literally finish the race and then go and sleep in line at the registration area to ensure that they’d get a spot for the following year’s race. The race remained one of the most popular races on the Ironman circuit, routinely including fields of over 2,000, with some years soaring to between 2,800 and 3,000 athletes.
Challenge Penticton
Then, in 2012, organizers and the city decided to part ways with Ironman and sign a deal with Challenge Family. The Ironman race moved to Whistler, and while that event enjoyed a large field for its first couple of years, the challenging course seemed to deter athletes.
Challenge Penticton never took off, with a steadily diminishing field of competitors over the years before organizers finally split ways with Challenge Family in 2017.
Return to Penticton
For the local businesses that had, for so many years, enjoyed a boom of activity during race week, losing Ironman Canada was a huge blow. Those businesses were no-doubt thrilled when Ironman announced in 2019 that Ironman Canada would be returning to Penticton, only to see the race cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID pandemic.
The race took place in 2022, then had to be cancelled last year due to forest fires in the region. The final race, including the new 70.3 event, will take place on August 25, 2024.
“We are grateful for the wonderful partners that we have in Penticton for hosting and helping to build the legacy of Ironman Canada triathlon into one of our longest-running and most popular events,” said Keats McGonigal, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of North America for The Ironman Group. “With over 30 years of history, all who have participated in one of the iconic Ironman Canada triathlons, either in Penticton or Whistler, can attest to what an amazing experience this captivating event has offered since it was first introduced in 1983. We cherish the memories that have been created and look forward to building on those with our athletes and amazing community of volunteers in Penticton this August as we celebrate the important role the city and its people have played in Ironman history.”
There are still spots for both the full-distance and 70.3 race in Penticton this August for those who want to be part of the final Ironman race. You can get more information on the races and register at www.ironman.com/im-canada and www.ironman.com/im703-canada.
With the cancellation of the full-distance race in Mont-Tremblant last year, the new event in Ottawa will “take over as host of the iconic Ironman Canada brand,” according to today’s release from Ironman. The inaugural Ottawa race is slated for August 3, 2025.
Ironman Canada-Ottawa will run through the heart of the country’s capital
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