This was to be the biggest weekend on the 2020 calendar. The weekend that brought in the crowds and the athletes, filled the hotels and motels, packed the streets, and put Penticton back on the international endurance sport map. It was to be the weekend of Ironman.
We all know what happened next. Hint: It's the reason most of us are wearing masks.
But all is not lost. This weekend will still bask in the glory of Ironman-style events. Granted, there'll be a ton less competitors and virtually no pomp and circumstance. And social distancing measures will be in effect.
Still, starting Saturday morning moments before sunrise and continuing 'til mid-afternoon Sunday, competitors will swim, bike and ride their way through the South Okanagan.
It's loosely called COVID Ironman Canada Penticton, but it's been unofficially nicknamed COVIDMan Canada 2020.
Glenda McMurray is the director of marketing with nutritional supplement producer F2C Nutrition. Well connected in the endurance sport community, F2C stepped in to help organize and support what McMurray says was initially a "grassroots thing."
"There was huge hype for the Ironman, obviously,' said McMurray Friday during athlete orientation at Rotary Park. "But when it was canceled, a lot of the people more locally, those who could get here safely COVID-wise, decided they'd come this weekend anyway."
"There were a couple of training camp people who organized the weekend. And basically, groups of people were going to show up. And we've been connected with some of these people for awhile."
The event is somewhat less hardcore than the pre-pandemic Ironman was scheduled to be. Disciplines are scattered across the weekend, which has been designed to allow athletes to retain social distancing and compete where they want to.
There's a 3.8-kilometer swim session in Okanagan Lake Saturday at 6 a.m., beginning adjacent to "The Peach."
That's followed by run options that take participants to various points on the KVR Trail and along the Penticton Channel, and a bike leg that'll see the most adventurous do the full Ironman distance of 180 kilometers and pass through such far-off locales as Richter Pass.
Sunday also begins in the water, at 6 a.m., and is a bit more structured. This is the day when the Ironman was originally scheduled, and it's also the day when those who want to complete the full distance in one shot get to show their stuff.
"It's really personalized," said McMurray Friday. "Some people did a swim today, some people are doing the bike Saturday, and the run on Sunday. So they're splitting it up. Other people are actually doing the full Ironman on Sunday."
Notable names this weekend include professional triathlete Jen Annett of Penticton, who's seeking to complete the full meal deal on Sunday, multiple Ultra520K winner Dave Matheson, also of Penticton, who says he's "swimming and biking Saturday but not doing the full run," Ultraman Canada director Brad Sawa (confirmed for Saturday, possible for Sunday), and former Ultraman world champion Kevin Cutjar of Penticton in an organizing role.
Another participant is 55-year-old Penticton resident Brian Mortensen, a veteran of several past Ironmans who says he was "disappointed, but understood, when Ironman had to be canceled," but decided early that he'd do the full distance on the originally scheduled race day anyway.
"I'd always planned to do it on the race day, just by myself, so I signed up for this because I figured it would be cool to do it here. I either race everything here or I volunteer, like all the people do around here, which is what I love about the town."
Besides providing aid stations along the route, F2C will also combine with local bike rack purveyor Swagman Racks to give back to the community.
"One of the things we're doing with Dave Michael of Swagman Racks," says McMurray, "both he and the Rotary are having a fundraiser via Bogner's Restaurant to raise money for a spray park for Rotary Park."
"So we're sponsoring 50 athlete meals (Saturday afternoon in Rotary Park), and we're giving Rotary $3500, between us and Swagman, to cover the 50 meals for the 50 athletes we're supporting this weekend."
According to McMurray, who says 50 athletes are registered for each day, spectators who might want to take in some of the event would do well to show up at Rotary Park.
"Sunday is the better day for spectators, and Rotary Park will be the hub. If they're looking for transitions, they'll find that at Rotary Park."
