Penticton — as it has more than 30 times since the early 1980s — is gearing up to welcome thousands of athletes and visitors for Ironman Canada. But when lights go down and out-of-town racers return home after Aug. 25, the iconic triathlon will bid farewell to the city that first hosted the event in 1983.
Ironman Canada said earlier this week that the race is moving to Ottawa in 2025, but added that it is "grateful" for Penticton and looks forward to celebrating the city's long history with the triathlon one more time. "We cherish the memories that have been created and look forward to building on those with our athletes and amazing community of volunteers in Penticton this August, as we celebrate the important role the city and its people have played in Ironman history," said Keats McGonigal, senior vice president and managing director for the Ironman Group in North America. Penticton was the first city in Canada to host an Ironman triathlon.
It welcomed athletes for the long-distance race from 1983 to 2012, before taking a decade-long hiatus and inking a new five-year agreement with event organizers in 2019. “We are grateful for the wonderful partners that we have in Penticton for hosting and helping to build the legacy of Ironman Canada triathlon into one of our longest-running and most popular events, McGonigal said. "With over 30 years of history, all who have participated in one of the iconic Ironman Canada triathlons, either in Penticton or Whistler, can attest t.