The Ironman Group announced Wednesday that the 2024 Ironman Canada-Penticton will feature a brand new wrinkle designed for those who dig the idea (and the pain!) of a mega-sized triathlon but can’t quite handle the full Ironman distance.
The "Ironman 70.3 Canada" triathlon, as it's called, will run in conjunction with the full Ironman on Aug 25, 2024. But with a 1.9-kilomter swim, a 91.5-kmn bike and a 21.1-kilometer run, it's exactly half the length of the standard Ironman distance and thusly should be quite a bit more palatable to a greater number of endurance athletes.
This won't be the first time for Ironman 70.3 Canada. It debuted in 2016 in Whistler and continued there 'til the final Whistler year of 2019.
Incredulously, there's been just one Ironman Canada since the switch back to Penticton, announced in 2019. Races in 2020 and 2021 were vaporized by COVID, and 2023 was killed by wildfires and the now-infamous governmental travel ban. Of the four opportunities to date, only 2022 came off as planned.
According to the Wednesday press release and the maps now available at the registration site, participants in the half-distance event will hit the water at the same Rotary Park start as the full-distance racers.
The bike course will send riders down the east side of Skaha Lake and along McLean Creek Road to Okanagan Falls, then south on Hwy 97 to Osoyoos. The return trip north to Penticton passes through the popular biking region of Fairview/Willowbrook/White Lake before jumping back onto Hwy 97.
The run route takes athletes north on what is arguably the most scenic part of the entire KVR Trail to a turnaround point near the Poplar Grove Pump Track.
Runners then return to the city and make an out-and-back along Main Street to Okanagan Avenue, then another out-and-back west along the Okanagan Lake waterfront and the Penticton channel.
"The race," says the press release, "culminates with an unforgettable finish line experience on Lakeshore Drive in downtown Penticton."
"We are thrilled to bring the Ironman 70.3 Canada triathlon back and have it join the iconic Ironman Canada event for an unforgettable weekend of racing in Penticton," said Tim Brosious, Regional Director at The Ironman Group.
"This venue has become one of the most thrilling destinations and sought after experiences on the global Ironman circuit in part due to the amazing support from the community and volunteers. Penticton has played a prominent role in the history of Ironman, and we know athletes will enjoy getting the opportunity to race an Ironman 70.3 triathlon through the stunning landscapes and challenging terrain that the Okanagan Valley has to offer."
General registration for the 2024 Ironman 70.3 Canada triathlon will open Wednesday, Feb. 21 and can be accessed by visiting this link
