Ironman Canada, a world-renowned triathlon race, has been postponed for a second year in Penticton, B.C., due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Event organizers announced the Sept. 26 event has been cancelled in the wake of Interior Health’s expansion of targeted gathering restrictions.
“Over the challenging and constantly evolving landscape of the last year and a half, our team has continued to work hard in an effort to create the best event experience and welcome athletes back to the IRONMAN Canada,” said Colby Gorniewicz, director of communications.
“We felt optimistic and had high hopes for the updated 2021 IRONMAN Canada – Penticton race date.”
Organizers said it would be rescheduled to Aug. 28, 2022.
“This is certainly not the news any of us wanted especially at this point in time and we recognize that this latest setback is a significant disappointment after multiple event updates,” Gorniewicz said.
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“Our goal remains to put on an exceptional event that meets the expectations of our athletes and host community.”
From 1983 to 2012, Penticton played host to Ironman, but the city severed ties with the world-famous brand, citing rising costs and falling benefits.
The race, which featured a 3.86-km swim, a 180-km bike ride and a 42-km marathon, drew a field of approximately 2,500 athletes.
After dropping Ironman, Penticton partnered with other multi-sport race organizers, but none had the impact or brand-name recognition that Ironman has.
Though the Ironman race relocated to Whistler, Penticton announced in July 2019 that the triathlon was returning to the South Okanagan after the two sides agreed to a five-year contract.
“Penticton is where we set all of our benchmarks as an industry and we have always held up the industry against what we have done here in the past in Penticton,” said Ironman regional director Dave Christen at the time.
On Aug. 20, Interior Health expanded restrictions reserved for the Central Okanagan to the entire B.C. Southern Interior, until the end of September.
The restrictions include limits on outdoor gatherings to 100 people.
Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan, originally scheduled for Sept. 19 in Penticton, also announced on Monday that its 2021 cycling race is cancelled.
“We were hopeful that the 2021 event would be a celebration of our progress along the road to recovery. However, as of today, we have been left with no choice but to cancel,” organizers said in a statement.
The event will be rescheduled to July 10, 2022.
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