Congrats! Duathlon nationals is not until later this month. Long Course triathlon nationals is not until November. Both qualify for Penticton.

Thanks! Are you competing in either (or both) of those? It looks like Long Course Duathlon Nationals was May 14th in North Carolina, too. I'm not sure if there's a corresponding ITU event for that; the schedule shows "Sprint" and "Standard".

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VDOT O2 Run Coaching
Team INFINIT Discount Code: RowanJones

My season has been focused on trying to get in. Have already complete 7 USAT races, and the 8th I hope is on Sunday.

I am trying to get in via rankings again, if I cannot get to nationals.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Long course duathlon nationals is the qualifier for Powerman Zofingen (Switzerland) which serves most years as ITU Long Course Duathlon Worlds (I did it in 2014 for Team USA). Zofingen is the Kona of Duathlon and cannot be replaced by any other course. The multisport festival is limited to only 5 sports.

I will be competing in both Bend and Miami for standard duathlon and long course triathlon. Assuming I qualify for both, I only expect to race long course triathlon in Penticton because ITU is dragging the festival out over 10 days. Their event schedule completely contradicts the stated purpose of a multi-sport festival which is to offer a venue where people can compete in more than one event. With the duathlon and triathlon a full week apart, and factoring in travel, you would need 9 or 10 days to do them both. Makes you wonder if anyone on the board is an athlete with a full time job.

Dave, you could jog the course at Bend and get in. In fact, if you do make it, please jog so I don't look so slow in comparison. I am deep into high volume, low intensity ironman training at the moment, so Bend is going to hit me like a ton of bricks (literally and figuratively)!

I wish. Too many injuries to count chickens ahead of time. 3 more weeks to stay healthy and 2 races in between to not get hurt. :)

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Follow the money, heads in beds.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Based on a questionable assumption that people will actually stay that long. If the races were within 4 days of each other instead of 7 I would do both ... with travel each side probably 7 days total. But doing only one race I will probably be there only 4 days ... 3 lost hotel nights for them. But then again, there probably aren't many people going for the short course duathlon/long course triathlon combo.

My wife and I are looking at planning 7+ days, but we won't spend it all in Penticton. Once my race is over we'll probably roam around BC for a few days exploring, although we will likely stay until the following day for 'Cross' awards and the Parade Of Nations.

Good luck to you both in your upcoming races. Do either of you have any insight into this whole Team USA thing? There isn't a ton of information on the FAQs and it would be nice to hear about the ins and out from those that have first hand experience. Have either of you been to Penticton?

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VDOT O2 Run Coaching
Team INFINIT Discount Code: RowanJones

Did someone tell you that the Gaggle of Nations would be after the cross tri? I have no knowledge but assumed it would precede the first event which I believe will be the duathlon on the first Saturday. Anyway, late August is bad timing for me. My wife teaches and will just have started back at school and my daughter will be starting college. I'll be coming solo to this gig.

Team USA - you must buy and wear the Team USA uniform which changes every 2-3 years. You may pay extra if you wish to put your name on your ass. You are permitted to march in the Gaggle of Nations (not required). We will either be given or have to buy a parade uniform...seems to vary and I could not tell you why. You will be handed a small US flag to carry the last 200 yards or so of your race (very cool). Anticipate a Team photo...nice memento they will send you later. Some folks race these things exclusively and won't do WTC races...I don't quite get that. They often have a small patch you can buy for that year's race...some folks have jackets littered with these. All race participants will be in their national team uniform -- in my mind, this is what makes these races stand out from any other. ITU needs age groupers at these events to help pay for the pro competition ... fact of life.

Never been to Penticton. I've raced ITU Worlds with Team USA in Holland, Switzerland, and Sweden.

Awesome, thanks for the intel. The 'tentative' schedule shows the Parade/Gaggle Of Nations taking place Wednesday August 23rd at 6:00 PM with the Cross awards following afterward at 7:00 PM: http://penticton2017.com/event-schedule/

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VDOT O2 Run Coaching
Team INFINIT Discount Code: RowanJones

Join the team USA fb group to ask questions

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Team USA is better than wtc imo

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I didn't know there was one (I guess I should have since there's a page for everything). I'll search for it on Facebook. Thanks.

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VDOT O2 Run Coaching
Team INFINIT Discount Code: RowanJones

Duh - I never clicked on the link!! So standard course has shifted to Sunday. That means if I could make it out there on Saturday, race Sunday, twiddle my thumbs for the next 5 days, race LD Tri on Saturday and fly home Sunday, I would be gone 7 nights, 8 days, 5 work days.

Penticton had a reputation for gouging on hotel nights when they hosted Ironman Canada which is one of the reasons (ostensibly) they lost it...they got a little too greedy. Maybe they won't be so bad now since Challenge didn't turn out as they expected, but I could always head to another town for 3 nights. I have to process this.

I'm being facetious about the Gaggle of Nations, of course, but don't let me discourage you. Here's how it went in Sweden last year. We all met in a park for the Team USA group photo about an hour before the parade. Sweden had teenagers with a very nice sign for each country and everyone formed around them - gabbing - until the band started and they told each country when to start walking. The Team USA uniform included matching T-shirt, shorts, bike jacket, and hat. We marched several blocks to the town square with everyone taking pictures of everyone else, pics of the crowd (our families), and the crowd taking pictures of us and each other. We formed up in the town square and listened to speeches as we took more photos of each other and the other teams and argued about which nation had the coolest uniforms and outfits (Canada, hands down, maybe Japan in 2nd).

I was also at IM70.3 WC in Austria last August and they tried to copy the ITU with their own parade of nations. Except in Ironman/70.3 everyone is wearing their own outfit. WTC had folks line up behind country placards and walk through Zell am See. I watched from the street corner instead. If ITU's parade is a gaggle (it is, but fun), then WTC's is a complete cluster (but folks were still having fun). However, the welcome banquet at Zell kicked the snot out of the one at Sweden.

With this being the first multi-sport festival, they may try to get even more professional. Odense, Denmark will be the host in 2018 and Pontevedra, Spain for 2019 ... more to look forward to.

No, I knew I you were joking. The parade sounds like a neat thing to participate in.

So, yeah, it sounds like you could pull it off. That would be pretty cool to 'double' at ITU Worlds.

I looked on VRBO a couple of weeks ago and prices were reasonable there, but I'm sure that could change as it gets closer. It would probably (maybe?) be in my best interest to get something lined up before 'everyone else' does since I already know I'm in.

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VDOT O2 Run Coaching
Team INFINIT Discount Code: RowanJones

I did all three races at Edmonton worlds. Was very cool. Would love to do 4 at bc. A friend is trying to get into all 5.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Doing all five would be amazing! If they brought the aquathlon nats to Florida, I would jump on it for a joke. We have no shortage of water ... and never mind that 16 foot monster alligator you saw strolling the golf course this past week. That's just incentive to swim faster.

Okanagan Lake has the Ogopogo so lots of incentive to swim fast in Penticton!

Well, I had to look that up and I am highly unconcerned about a legendary creature with no credible sighting in many years, and no known fatalities. But right here in Florida, an alligator bit a man's arm off (Lakeland, May 16, 2016) and fisherman found two alligators eating a human corpse (Southwest Ranches, May 31, 2016). You decide which threat is real and which is imagined. :)

Wow. I feel like a slacker now. ;)

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VDOT O2 Run Coaching
Team INFINIT Discount Code: RowanJones

I don't think the price gouging was the reason for WTC and Penticton parting ways. Basically hotels in Penticton make 60-70% of their revenue in June/july/August.

Occupancy and gross revenue went up year over year 3% post WTC or with Challenge. You could also argue that WTC has half the numbers of penticton now in Whistler. Both parties f*&ked up somehow…they are worse with out each other than together.

Any ways dead horse etc, I live 2 hours from Penticton and have done that race 8X watched it 8X, done 6 camps there, gone to "fest of ale" for some drinking and MTB, been another 20 times to drink wine etc and not train, or maybe train, or to support Coach/Ultraman, or do the Peach classic, bare bones du etc.

IMO some hotels on lakeside will gouge, otherwise my bet is that you will find something for 150-200$ Can per night on lakeside, less on Skaha or main.

When I was in my 20's I would call around and get the cheapest rate possible, now I am an extremely discerning customer…I have three questions for hotels in Penticton:

"do you allow dogs?"

"how much?"

"do you have shag carpet on the walls?" (true story)

Best in training…we should have an ST meeting/couple beers etc for anyone going this year.

Cheers,
Maurice

Just booked my hotel this weekend at the Waterfront Inn for CP.
Fairly good deal ($120+tax), so I hope it isn't a dump. Reviews were decent.
Flying in Saturday and out Monday from Kelowna due to work... so not a lot of time to chillax this year.
Still not sure whether I'll be there in 2017.
Can't stand how TriCan gouges athlete's to do ITU world's... but I might take a spot anyways.

Edmonton just had their bid for the 2019 Grand Final approved by TriCan

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