Ironman Canada says event is leaving Penticton for Ottawa

Ironman Canada has announced that this will be its last year in the Okanagan.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the triathlon event would be moving to Ottawa after this year after a final event in Penticton next month.

The City of Penticton first hosted its full-distance Ironman triathlon from 1983 until 2021 and began again in 2022, however, wildfires caused the 2023 event to be cancelled.

Penticton became the first Ironman event to take place in North America and only the third outside of Hawaii when it hosted the event from 1983 to 2021.

Ironman Canada says it is “grateful for the wonderful partners” they’ve had in Penticton for hosting and building out the event’s legacy.

City of Penticton mayor Julius Bloomfield called the decision disappointing but says the city and all visiting athletes will enjoy the full Penticton experience in August.

“We know Ironman has retrenched and cancelled other events globally over the past several years, so the decision is a reflection on the challenges they face and not on Penticton’s ability to stage successful events,” Bloomfield said in a statement.

“Our team will continue to seek out new events that invite visitors to share our incredible beauty and spirit.”

Bloomfield said city event staff will continue to look for opportunities to add to the city’s event lineup.

The final Ironman event in Penticton will take place on Aug. 25.