As Ontario's Lionel Sanders crossed the iconic downtown finish line last summer to become the winner of Ironman Canada, an end of an era swiftly came to an end in Penticton.
The community was left in shock on July 9, when race officials announced the more than 100-kilometre triathlon would be leaving the Peach City and moving to Ottawa, Ont. in 2025.
More than 40 years after coming to Penticton for the first, Ironman Canada commemorated its final edition in the city on Aug. 25, 2024.
“It has been an incredible run and we are so grateful for the amazing community of athletes and volunteers who have played such an important role in this piece of Ironman's history," event organizers said in a statement before its last race in Penticton.
Around 900 athletes competed in the final Penticton event, including locals Jen Annett and Jeff Symonds.
"It's kind of put Penticton on the map," said Annett. "It's really sad to see it go."
Mayor Julius Bloomfield, a former Penticton Ironman triathlete himself, called the announcement "disappointing."
"The Penticton spirit has made this event and many others memorable over the years," Bloomfield said.
“We know Ironman has retrenched and cancelled other events globally over the past several years, so the decision is a reflection on the challenges they face and not on Penticton’s ability to stage successful events."
Penticton became the first city in Canada to host the event, doing so in 1983. The event would become a local summertime tradition, as it came to the city every year until 2012.
After a 10-year hiatus from the South Okanagan, Ironman Canada struck a new five-year deal with the City of Penticton in 2019.
It wouldn't proceed, however, until 2022, due to the ongoing pandemic. And, in August 2023, just eight days before it was set to start, the triathlon was cancelled due to raging wildfires across B.C.
Race day in 2024 got off to an unusual start, with hundreds of athletes converging in the city's downtown core to learn cooler temperatures had cancelled the 3.8-kilometre swim portion of the event in Okanagan Lake.
That didn't hinder the local enthusiasm, though, as large crowds gathered after 8 a.m. to watch the run portion of the event kick off on the east side of Lakeshore Drive.
Sanders, the eventual winner, finished the race with a combined bicycle/run time of 6:57:09.
With the Ironman era in Penticton now over, city officials say they've turned the page and actively looking for potential replacement options.
"The departure of Ironman from Penticton has sparked a lively discussion about what to do next," said Jeff Plant, the city's sport and event supervisor. "Do we seek to host one signature event or are we better investing in multiple smaller events?"
Timing and return on investment are among the factors that could decide what, if at all, replaces Ironman, Plant added.
“All athletes know, there’s a time to say goodbye and find new challenges," Bloomfield said before the final edition in the Peach City began.
"We will honour the legacy of the athletes and volunteers who have made this an iconic event since the inaugural event in 1983 and begin writing a new chapter in our city’s proud sporting history.”
