Ironman Canada to be replaced with Challenge Penticton

[Pika]

In todays local paper looks like my community at the north end of Okanagan Lake is going to put in a bid for IMC..Yikes. I hope WTC does not try to run IMC so close to Penticton, I think both races would lose. Vancouver/Victoria would be much better options imo, there is room for 2 races just not in each others backyard. Will be very interesting to watch how things fall out.

[Pika]

In todays local paper looks like my community at the north end of Okanagan Lake is going to put in a bid for IMC..Yikes. I hope WTC does not try to run IMC so close to Penticton, I think both races would lose. Vancouver/Victoria would be much better options imo, there is room for 2 races just not in each others backyard. Will be very interesting to watch how things fall out.

[colby]

In todays local paper looks like my community at the north end of Okanagan Lake is going to put in a bid for IMC..Yikes. I hope WTC does not try to run IMC so close to Penticton, I think both races would lose. Vancouver/Victoria would be much better options imo, there is room for 2 races just not in each others backyard. Will be very interesting to watch how things fall out.

Yeah, seems like a miscalculation. The entire triathlon community benefits from two locations, rather than trying to draw on the same pool of local athletes and volunteers twice for two major races. Consensus of everyone I talked to was the same - Penticton, Kelowna, Osoyoos, all too close to have 2 races a year, especially based on Ironman stating it'll be around the same time of year. It's a lot to ask of a community once, let alone twice, unless they are aspiring to be the triathlon capital of Canada

I am thinking either western BC or western Alberta would be pretty decent choices - still draw on Okanagan residents who want an Ironman branded race, but don't drain their resources twice.

[snowboardgrrl]

I live in Kamloops, another community interested in hosting IMC. We would LOVE to host this event. I've done IMC twice - this year was awesome! As an athlete I've been very happy with the whole experience - the course, the atmosphere, etc. I've ran Boston and some other big city races and don't think it's wildly different in terms of commercialism...that was my experience anyway.

I think if you are going to all of the effort to train for IMC, it should be challenging. I'm not really interested in a pancake PR type of bike course. If you haven't been to Kamloops, we are similar to Penticton in that we have spectacular weather, crazy bike climbs, and an awesome volunteer contingent. We're named the Tournament Capital of Canada so we have an impressive 50 m pool and experience in hosting huge sporting events like the Canada Summer Games, the Western Canada Games, and much more!

I know this is a shameless plug for my community but I am so excited at this possibility!

[Pika]

I heard that Kamloops was also putting in a bid to host IMC- I think that would be a good choice and there is some awesome cycling around there.I was wondering about the swim though- where do you think the swim would be snowboardgrrl? There is a lake not too far out I think but I can't really remember it and I know the river is there. Just wondering about possible routes. Easy access for those travelling from the coast too Lots of benefits. I just hope that WTC doesn't succeed in shutting the Challenge down.

[colby]

In todays local paper looks like my community at the north end of Okanagan Lake is going to put in a bid for IMC..Yikes. I hope WTC does not try to run IMC so close to Penticton, I think both races would lose. Vancouver/Victoria would be much better options imo, there is room for 2 races just not in each others backyard. Will be very interesting to watch how things fall out.

In case anyone missed it, Whistler is the new home of Ironman Canada, and it'll be August 25, 2013. Registration for volunteers and 2012 athletes opens tomorrow.

Kelowna was one of the finalists and as much as I love the Okanagan and it would be beautiful, I'm glad that Challenge Penticton and Ironman Canada don't have to fight over volunteers or exhaust local resources. Selfishly, I'm glad it didn't end up in Ontario, either, because this keeps it close to the PNW US.

This doesn't make the decision to race or not easier, though, either Penticton or Whistler. I am signed up for Coeur d'Alene, this is 2 months later. An inaugural race is tempting, and I'd get it all out of my system so I could focus on running through the fall/winter. It sounds SO NUTS though. I could drop Coeur d'Alene, but I love her so. Le sigh... food for thought for the next 24 hours