So essentially you don't know if it's on the same day, but are ready to jump to assumptions that it is and therefore the race is somehow in question over the long-term. Gotcha!

Are we sure its not in the Canary Islands?

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

I'm selfishly hoping that it's somewhere Ontario/Quebec area in the August/September timeframe. Other than NY Jones beach, which is a bit of a drive, there really isn't anything in the second half of the season.

And we used to have a bunch of races that were drivable from this area.

• Muskoka moved from Sept to early July to accommodate a full IM that only stuck around for a year.
• Lake Placid 70.3 fell victim to local politics
• Atlantic City went away after a few years
• Maine moved from late August to late July

All the new races that have been cropped up recently (Musselman, Challenge QC, Western Mass) plus the others that have stuck around (Eagleman, Tremblant, etc) are all wedged in a 6 week zone in June/July - which makes planning a season difficult if you want to do something later in the season.

Yeah, I know that we're doing well with all these races, when other parts of the country don't get as much, but why are they all wedged into the same 6-8 week span?

based off the ad I doubt it will be whistler? but a late June or early July 70.3 whistler or penticton would be best.

If I had to guess this is a response to low registration for IMC and will be the same day and then like whistler would move to a half once event next year.

---

Technique will always last longer then energy production. Improve biomechanics, improve performance.
http://Www.anthonytoth.ca, triathletetoth@twitter

I agree with you. I hope they aren’t going after Barrelman though. That’s one of a few independent half iron distance races that still draws solid numbers.

Lanzarote is in the in the Canary islands though right? How many races do they need there? Canada makes the most sense, I agree. Best case scenario is IM contracts the North American full distance market for a couple years and regrows from a position of strength? But I don't know...it seems like trying to build up the customer base for a full is going to be very difficult in any new market (see Tulsa).

St George should be a pretty great option still for them, but the course is just too hard for the occasional trainer type that thinks they are one and done. I have to feel sad for those people who sign up for StG and dnf due to misunderstanding the course and conditions. Tangentially, that's why I think StG will make a good return to a rotating championship after Nice. I could see a Kona-StG rotation for a few years and if you have to qualify to race it, it will at least have more prepared racers.

Where to put an IM?
Chicago seems like it would be a good target -- but you do have Wisconsin not too far away. Atlanta seems like a good target, but again there's Chattanooga. DC area? You've got Maryland. NY area? Lake Placid. Then there's Panama City Beach in FL, and out west you've got Texas, Arizona and California.

Is the future for IM to double up on the distance in the same location as their 70.3s? I'm not a fan of 3 loop bike courses (or 2 for that matter), and 3 loops on the run is no fun either. Doing 6 loops sounds insane.

The City of Penticton has commented on the post. It’s without a doubt there.

Counterpoint: Ironman Italy does well running its full distance race on a Saturday, the 70.3 the next morning (Sunday). The atmosphere is fantastic as you have the whole lot of people who love triathlon in town for the weekend. Penticton had maybe ~1600 in town in 2022, it seemed like they could have accommodated more.

That being said, Whistler would be fun too...

That means the full IM Penticton registration numbers aren't good.

I stopped travelling to Penticton in the summer because it's almost always under a haze of fire smoke now.

You can clearly see the top of the D (insert joke here) in the picture.

Kind of the meaning of the word assume, no?

Moving a 70.3 to the same day as the IM has been kind of a last resort move by Ironman for other North American IM races that weren't pulling great numbers. They're doing that at Wisconsin the last couple of years because the IM numbers fell of a cliff. They tried it at Whistler and at other places. It has never worked as far as I know for the N.A. races.

It may very well be on a different day than the IM. I doubt it but it's certainly possible.

---

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

You missed out one of the most fun HIM in Montreal. The Esprit. It's a gas.
Been doing it off and on for twenty five years, including when it was full distance.
I've done more laps on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve than Lewis Hamilton....:0)

Esprit is now a Challenge race ... And I agree, it is a great race

You're right - I did forget the Esprit! (and Barrelman)

Though 23 laps for a 90k isn't exactly what I was hoping for.

If this announcement is indeed Penticton,
is IM not concerned about wild fires and the smoke/smog? Didn’t it cancel 2 events last year?
I know these were one offs, but seems like they are becoming more common.

Well.... there IS a new race in Whistler this summer, that USED to be in Penticton (sort of).

It's an Ultra, or rather, about 4 of them.

It's on the traditional ultra weekend which is the August Long Weekend.

I talked to the race director here

http://www.fitspeek.com

Or go directly to the race site here

Home (ultratrifestcanada.com)

---

http://www.fitspeek.com the Fraser Valley's fitness, wellness, and endurance sports podcast

this year is shaping up to be a bad year, 30% of normal snowpack in the area. ski hills closed, fires still smouldering from last year.

I honestly don't see it happening again this year if last year was any indication. I hope i'm wrong as i'm registered.

The 23 laps is the part I like the most (42 for the full IM). That's 23 hairpin corners, 23 times through the really fast LH & RH switchback and accelerating into the little valley. 23 times down the hill on the back curve that most people are too scared to take at full speed, before bombing down the two straights and spinning out in an 11 if the wind is with you. That and getting a wave from your partner every 7 1/2 minutes. Compare that to following the white line and staying tucked for 2 1/2 hours and getting pissed at the people who are trying to catch your back wheel or passing in a pack. I've done a bunch of those races and couldn't tell you the scenery if my life depended on it (and that includes Kona)....:0)

I haven't done Barrelman and I can't give you a reason why not.

.
.
I did the Esprit Tri (IM Dist) a couple of times and it was awesome. Way more fun than the 226 in Ottawa which I found pretty dull.

Loops can be fun but the Double Iron in Levis (across the river from Quebec City) took it to extremes. ;-)

It is seriously the most fun half Ironman I have done and I have done many. The F1 track just makes it really fun and even the 4 laps around the rowing basin while a bit mind numbing at times goes reasonably quickly even at my cripple old guy pace.

I think that it is a smart decision to add the 70.3 in Penticton on the same day as the full-distance event. They have all the assets required to put the race on, why not use it, to maximize their return on the investment. It will create a larger event on the day. Fill the city up and return to more of a festival atmosphere. As for the potential issues it also could create, that will have to be managed. Start times/gaps, spread out throughout the day so that athletes know who is who out on the course, but I'm sure they've encountered this in the past and can deal with it.

and its confirmed

IRONMAN 70.3 Canada - Anything is Possible

That's certainly the reasoning behind a decision like that but it unfortunately doesn't seem to actually work in North America. The jury is still out on Wisconsin. I think this will be the third year combining the IM and 70.3. Numbers for both are way done from pre-COVID years (about half) and numbers were less in 2023 than 2022. Numbers are generally down for all IM races in N.A. as compared to 2019 but Wisconsin's numbers are far worse than most. Maryland and Chattanooga's numbers suck too. I've said it on here before that barring some major turnaround that Canada, Wisconsin, Maryland, and Chattanooga will not exist as IM races in the next few years.

That will leave Texas, Lake Placid, California, Florida, Arizona, and Cozumel as the only N.A. IM races unless a new locale is added as others get canceled.

---

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

GMAN, I agree, adding more races isn't the answer to dropping numbers. That will only make it worse. I think that there needs to be a "right-sizing" of the number of events that they offer. There was obviously an over-expansion with the IM brand, especially with the full-distance events. They should reduce the number of events, funnel the athletes into less events that are bigger and offer multiple distances to make it more profitable for themselves as well as more fun (exciting) for the participants. Returning to a more "full-service" event of days gone by. Pasta Dinners, Awards dinners, and After-Parties! It will be sad to see some of these races be canceled but there is always the opportunity to have a few races that move from location to location from one year to the next. One year in Chattanooga, next year in Wisconsin, etc. I think that it would be a good plan, in my humble opinion.