The Challenge Penticton and Ironman Canada Aftermath

Ironman Canada and Challenge Penticton celebrate different types of success as they run head-to-head races

On August 25, B.C. demonstrated the growing power of sport tourism by hosting two competing long-distance triathlons.

The iconic Ironman brand attracted a sold-out field to Whistler, while Penticton worked to introduce North America to the European-based Challenge Family.

In Whistler, 2,171 athletes completed Ironman Canada, while Challenge Penticton saw nearly 1,100 finishers—574 individual athletes and 162 relay teams of three. Ironman 2012 in Penticton attracted nearly 3,000 participants.

Despite the lower numbers, Challenge Penticton general manager Barb Haynes sees 2013 as a stepping stone. “The event had a completely different atmosphere and athletes felt it was focused entirely on their experience. That was the goal!” Haynes says. “The additional events throughout the week provided the inclusiveness that families were looking for. Challenge Penticton Canada has made its mark and we’ll continue to grow this event.”

Penticton’s acting mayor Gary Litke takes a big-picture perspective on how the Challenge series can benefit his region. “We see this as an opportunity for attracting more Europeans into our valley,” he says. “We see this exposure to the European community as a tremendous opportunity in terms of immigration and business expansion.”

In the Lower Mainland, the Vancouver Marathon rebranded in 2012 with a scenic new route and an increased emphasis on attracting destination runners who spend more money when they travel to attend a race. A University of Victoria study pegged the total economic benefit of the 2012 Vancouver Marathon at nearly $37 million for the region, including participant, exhibitor, supplier, sponsor and spectator contributions. In 2013, registration increased by seven per cent to a total of 16,390 athletes over four events. Approximately half of the participants were from outside the Lower Mainland, with representation from 43 countries.

Like the Vancouver Marathon, both Penticton and Whistler provided near-perfect conditions for their races this year. Penticton’s top male, local professional triathlete Jeff Symonds, finished the course in 8:29:57, while Whistler’s winner, Trevor Wurtele of Kelowna, clocked in at 8:39:33. The women’s side was close: Carrie Lester of Australia won Challenge Penticton in 9:27:26, while Uli Brömme of Boulder, CO, finished Whistler in 9:28:13.

Both races offered total purses of $75,000 to the top finishers.

More changes loom for 2014. Challenge Family will be announcing its first U.S. race in September and Challenge Penticton will be adding a half-triathlon distance to next year’s calendar. Meanwhile, Ironman Canada will be shifting its Whistler date to July 27, 2014. Registration is now open for all events.