My only question, where's the beer garden going to be? I think in the middle of the horse shoe at the end. As a side note I really liked the "old" finish on main last year.

As you said a bit faster, and definitely an improvement.

Maurice

nice! float down the channel for a few beers cheering on the runners! its a great strip to run down. Choice of pavement or hard pack gravel. it will be a nice section for the runners.

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@rhyspencer

I like that run along the river. But, I'm doing the half and in looking at the run map for the half, it is the same as last year. That means two DIFFERENT finish lines. The half still shows the end of Main Street as the finish while the Full shows a different finish. Plus, the half still has that stupid loop around the outside of Transition. I'm hoping they decide to put the half on the same course as the full so we get the river run as well.

Although, I'm not sure about the new finish, it appears that you have to run along the narrow footpath around in front of the hotel. And I just noticed that you are running across Gyro Park, both on the way out and on the way back.

And, finally, you apparently are running on a really narrow catwalk over the dam! And, have to cross back over???? That'll be exciting, it is really only wide enough for 1 person. Well, I guess 2 skinny Triathletes can pass but watch out, if someone's arm goes out they'll nail the person going the other direction and you have a couple of steep steps at either end. Not sure how that is going to work out but I don't know of any other way of getting across.

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BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.

From the Challenge Penticton Facebook page...

Challenge Penticton 2015 will introduce a new 42.2km marathon course that incorporates the Okanagan River Channel and a stadium style finish in Okanagan Lake Park. The run course has changed many times over the last 32 years. This latest course modification will have athletes start by running west along Lakeshore Drive, then south to a turnaround point at the south end of the river channel, before returning back along the same path, to pass through Gyro Park and join Main Str...eet at the 14km mark.
The new course maintains the classic out and back, along Main Street, South Main and Lakeside Road, with a turnaround north of Parsons Road. This will eliminate the steeper hills of Skaha Estates and Skaha Bluffs, encountered in both directions on the previous course, making the new course a much flatter and potentially faster course for runners.
Organizers have worked together with the Penticton Indian Band, to incorporate the “Channel Run”, a favorite route for locals and visitors to Penticton. The new layout also keeps the athletes closer to town, allowing spectators to see more action.
“We were looking for faster run route, without going to a looped or double out and back format, which can be confusing for both athletes and spectators” said co-race director, Kevin Cutjar. “The stadium style finish in Okanagan Lake Park will also become the Challenge Village and Expo area. These modifications will enhance the atmosphere of the race, but also take significant portions of the race off the streets.”
In previous years, sections of Main Street and Lakeshore Drive have been closed to traffic in the days before and after the race. This will not be required with the new finish line in the park.
The Challenge Half, featuring a 21.1km run, will have the same course layout, with earlier turn-around points on the Channel and at Skaha Lake Park, keeping that run within city limits.
Says Cutjar, who has completed the Penticton Race at the professional level, “I think the full distance race will have more appeal to age-group athletes looking for a faster finish time. Our bike course is mostly downhill for the last 30km and with a flatter, faster marathon, I think we’ll see some personal best times set in 2015.”

The half will be on the same course, only the turn around points will be different.

   That makes sense, the same course for both and same finish for both. They just haven't updated their website map yet then for the half. Although I must say I really liked having that stretch from the school all the way to the finish downhill!

Having said that, I'm not sure what they are going to do with the narrow little catwalk over the dam. While it is easy enough to negotiate, it is a tad narrow and a slow runner could easily hold up a faster one.

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BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.

It's all of 30 meters. Not going to be a big deal.

until they get 2500 people on the course, that 30m narrow bridge isnt a issue.

Change is always hard when you talk about a race with 30+ years of history. But this course as to potential to be really fun as you will see your competition much more and get to run in the downtown area twice taking in the cheers of the crowd almost half way into the run....

i m curious and excited about the stadium finish...could be awesome!

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Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
Jonnyo Coaching
Instargram

I've been in other small Tris with bridges and as a slow runner was conscious of the faster ones around me and didn't want to hold them up. This can get exasperated when you combine full and half courses although as this is at the start of the run, there won't be very many full runners out there with the half runners, at least at the start.
Overall I really like the run up and down the channel so I'm looking forward to it and the Stadium finish should be interesting as well.

Nice to see a few changes.

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BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.