Interesting snippet here: https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/.../Content?oid=4005018

The SLRD runs from Squamish to Lillooet, and they want the highway closed "as little as possible". To me, that sounds like "we need three lanes, two for motor traffic and one for the race; we want to maintain highway access from Squamish all the way to Pemberton for cars all day long; and we want the race course off the Sea to Sky as much as possible".

 

fwiw: (sorry if this image is huge)

So, the SLRD wants to improve recreational tourism, but doesn't want to give Ironman the highway for half of one Sunday. Got it.

Bubbling this back to the top...any insights on what the course will be?

"New Bike Course Announcement Coming Soon!" is now showing under course details....

Not sure if anyone else has seen this:

http://www.whistlerquestion.com/...018-event-1.23085978

Here is the course in strava:

https://www.strava.com/routes/11356780

Previously covered here: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/..._bike_route_P6479970

Looks like they'e making some progress on a new bike course. They took the old course down from the site and have a 'New bike course announcement"

http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/canada/course/bike.aspx#axzz52NfUBsWT

Note on fb from the rd today, they are close but likely need all govs/bands on board before official announcement:

“There will be hills”

“It won’t start at 5:30”

Maurice

Glad to see a little bit of sanity here. I know we triathletes fetishize getting up early, but a 5:30am race start is just stupid.

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Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.

According to SMO posting on FB, tomorrow (Thursday 2/1)

It’s up.

3 loops

Not sure how I feel about it it, but it’s nothing like the rumor

http://m.ironman.com/~/media/28db4e7edaa24f9283823fb46f17cd37/ironman%20course%20map%20im%20canada%20bike%202018%20web%201.pdf

My guess is that her (RD) hands were tied by a few nimbies and this is the best (only?) option they could come up with.

I’m just letting it sink in, I think start times with the half will be important to how the traffic is managed at 3 loops.

For sure I love the 8k plus of climbing!!! Still keeping a reasonable start time.

I was on the fence until they put this out, I’m in for sure now with 8k feet.

Maurice

Holy crap. I had no interest in Whistler until I saw this.
I love hard bike courses...

Looks like 1K more overall climbing, but no big climbs. Lots of rollers and punchy ones? I recall riding Village to T1, and then the bus to T1 race morning, Alta Lake Road is really punchy no?
I am presuming they have bike traffic issues mitigated.

Not sure I like turning around halfwy up Callaghan with 70.3ers barrelling down

ETA pretty good lesson in not believing internet rumors, this is nothing like what' been discussed here

Yes. Alta road, short, punchy

Wow quite the different course without the flats! 500 more meters in climbing total.

Wow, that is a lot of climbing... I have mixed feelings about that much climbing... Three loops though? Sounds like a nightmare on the bike.

Being a triathlon anyone who is a roadie or who has “above average” for a triathlete handling skills will do better than others.

Not going to call it technical at all but certainly more than a few will lose a bit of time on some sections.

As someone else said punchy for sure no major climbs but relentless up down 2-8 min hills.

I think they did the best they could with the hand they were dealt (talking folks on the ground)

Maurice

The shameful demise of the single loop bike course continues.

Scott

I'm all for Ironman races with challenging bikes, but traffic management will be really important. I'd be really concerned about 3 loops with the hills because you'll have such a range of speeds and descending abilities.

Will be interesting to see how they try to manage the two races time wise. Last year it was pretty sketchy doing the 70.3 passing many of the IM competitors at twice their speed. Add in the congestion of 3 loops and I'm not sure I want to go back and race a 70.3 under those conditions.

I absolutely concur. This course would definitely favor a R3 over a P5. Road skills will be in demand over consistent gear mashing.

Not sure how much maximized aero efficiency will benefit on those climbs, and I'll want my breaks in my hands and not by my elbows on the congested descents.

Edit 1: I looked at the course again, I thought it was to the TOP of ski jump 3 times, not 1/6th the way up. P5 and mashing lots of rollers it will probably be.

Le sigh - should do my research before posting.

I think the real question will be how they handle drafting. With so many competitors on such a short coarse, it's going to be a nightmare keeping people at the required distance when passing much slower competitors on your second or third lap when they are a lap behind.

When the full and half athletes are all on the course together, i figure it's gonna be like a century ride. 99 is wide but my recollection is Alta Lake Road and Callaghan are just two laners

I'm torn on what makes me sadder; the NIMBYs in Pemberton or the culture of Ironman that allowed this to happen.

Scott