Ironman Canada is now Challenge-Penticton

Al Truscott

I just attended the announcement (by the Peach in Penticton) concerning the future of the long-distance triathlon formerly known as Ironman Canada. The city of Penticton has partnered with Challenge Family of triathlons to continue this iconic race. Peter Reid was on hand to lend his aura (he took two days of from his gig as a bush pilot). There will be wave starts, and relays, and a lower price (is $675 Canadian that much lower?).

Sign up on site for next year's race 8/25/13 is Monday @ 9 AM PDT at the South Okanagan Events Center, or online @ www.chanllenge-penticton.com

This race kind of created the model for a successful North American ironman back in the 80s - Panama City, Lake Placid, Coeur d'Alene followed. Then WTC got enamoured with bigger towns (Madison, Louisville) and bigger cities (Phoenix, Houston, NYC, with multiple loop courses.

Penticton with its dry climate and single loops in all three events still has the best race, IMO.

tgarson

Good news to me, competition is always good for the consumer. Although I echo your sentiment, $675 CAN is all that cheaper than what? Tremblant for 2013 is $700, so it's not exactly putting the squeeze on WTC... but any pressure is better than none at all.

Have always wanted to IMC, in fact that was my original plan for this year before I pulled the trigger on IMMT due to easier sign up. Definitely don't regret that decision, had a fantastic time at Tremblant, and while I'm a little bummed I missed out on the opportunity to be part of the last IMC, I've always wanted to check out a Challenge race and definitely will consider this one in the future.

Paul Hough

1st, this is pure Karma! WTC "steals" Challenge Cairns, then Challenge "steals" IM Canada, the oldest IM in North America. Can you feel the change in the wind?

2nd, I agree with Trevor that competition is good and will benefit us all. Pentincton will get wave starts and relays to allow a larger but safer field.

3rd, in August alone, WTC has apparently lost IMNYC, IMC, Providence 70.3 and possibly Mooseman 70.3. That has to put some serious drag on their 2013 revenue projections. They are going to be under pressure to find some new venues, and to provide value to those locations (as well as the athletes) lest more cities give them the boot and sign up with a competitor (Challenge, Rev 3 or HITS).

4th, maybe not in the near future, but sometime down the road, I predict that Challenge will declare Roth to be the World Championship and you will have to qualify through another Challenge venue. Interesting times indeed.

Scott Alexander

Looks like WTC isn't just rolling over. Also looks like IMCanada was sold earlier this year to WTC without anyone knowing!

www.slowtwitch.com/News/WTC_Not_Con..._3013.html

GMAN 19030

That's an ugly situation. Anyone signing up for Challenge Penticton is kind of foolish with the WTC scenario still possibly in play. I know money would be refunded and all but still.

Norton

No way will WTC get Penticton back. Their legal argument is beyond flimsy.

Paul Hough

@ Bill - my money is with you. WTC has lost this race. Their legal argument isn't worth spit. If folks want to do that race next year, it's a safe bet. Now let's see if WTC tries to establish another Canadian ironman to try and hurt Challenge. When WTC pulled Ironman Germany from Roth (after a 10 year run), they moved it over to Frankfurt to try and kill Roth. It hurt Challenge-Roth for a couple of years, but now they are the largest iron distance race in the world, and many people say it is hands-down the best. This time around, Challenge has a name with serious credibility so I doubt WTC can beat them. On the contrary, rumor has it that long ago WTC offered the IMFL license to GFT which refused. True or not, Ironman was directly responsible for stealing the majority of the GFT's customers. They are now scraping by with about 200 finishers compared to IMFL with well over 2,000. In 1996 (pre IMFL), the GFT race director (still) said this to the Orlando Sentinel:

''I am satisfied with the way we have grown in six years,'' said Sommer, president of CFT/Sommer Sports, which is in its 13th year of promoting triathlons in Clermont. ''I have looked at Hawaii and Ironman Canada and we are not that far off from where they were six years into their races."

Ow...the future didn't turn out so bright.

Scott Alexander

Looks like WTC Is scrambling to add another Canadian IM, to make up for their loss of IMCan:

triathlon.competitor.com/2012/08/ne...nada_60500

Al Truscott

 WTC sent an email to all IM Canada athletes (2012) in Sat, attempting service recovery. They will allow us first dibs on any IM Canada which they have in 2013, AND also give us 48 hour advance sign up for IMs Moo, AZ, and FL for 2013.

imc1792

As of yesterday (monday) noon walk up registration for challenge P 2013 was just over 400. Sister B announced her relay team which includes Graham Fraser's daughter the youngest woman to have done IMC, herself the oldest, and Ann Lynch the first woman to have done IMC and essentiantly 'challenged' everyone at banquet (which was poorly attended) to go sign up as this is about Penticton and Triathlon and not the brand.

My host family here in Penticton for the past 8 years is part of negotiating/organizing team and we talked last night about putting slots up at races around Canada and things like whether a change in finishers swag is needed.

More to come on this race, they know it will be a tough couple of years, and one very interesting sidenote, if WTC thinks they will garner any support from outlying communities here, they are mistaken. An event in Oliver/Ossoyoos using the same bike course will be a bust.

Nate Parady

That's a pretty good deal for some folks in terms of early sign up for 2013....

GMAN 19030

I don't think there's enough accommodations in Muskoka to handle a full IM from what I understand.

Coach Rich

Great to see the Challenge brand getting a foothold in NA...but also weird to see WTC throwing twice the Kona slots at whatever, wherever the new IMCA will be?

robin sarner

The new Ironman Canada better be in the west !            You easterners have Tremblant.

Paul Hough

Dollars to doughnuts that Kelowna will be the new venue. They are the only one I've heard that submitted a bid. 2 more days to get bids in, then announcement at Kona.

robin sarner

So I would just have to drive a bit more past Penticton.

GMAN 19030

Vernon seems to be the ST choice du jour right now.

Steve Ross

Now if Muskoka was the site picked, I would definitely be in. Let us see this play out.Either way they are competing in the demographic area of the Challenge or there are competing against themselves.

Scott Alexander

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it!

http://ironman.com/mediacenter/pres...z292I6zHVR

J.T. Thompson

I thought Whistler would win this. With the success of Tremblant, and having the village at Whistler with tons of easy access rooms, just hard to beat. I think they also wanted one on the West coast....