The thousands of bikes glistening in the sun, Ironman banners fluttering in the breeze and numerous tents that have overtaken Hamsterly Beach are evidence that the Island鈥檚 reputation as a triathlon capital has not waned since the days when Simon Whitfield was winning Olympic medals and Peter Reid and Lori Bowden captured Ironman Hawaii world championships by the ferry load.
More than 1,500 competitors from around the world have gathered for the sold-out 20th Elk Lake Triathlon, which begins at 6 a.m. today with a splash in the lake, followed by a cycling race through the undulating countryside of the Saanich Peninsula and ending with a two-loop run around the Elk/Beaver lake trails.
This is the second year the race will be conducted under the iconic Ironman banner as the Saunders Subaru Ironman 70.3 Victoria. The 70.3 branding denotes what used to be called the Half-Iron distance, which, in imperial measurement, is a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile cycle race and 13.1-mile run totalling 70.3 miles.
鈥淭here is so much triathlon history in Victoria,鈥� said Jeff Edwards from Tampa, vice-president of North America for the World Triathlon Corporation of Florida, which owns the famed Ironman brand.
鈥淭here have been some really well-known Canadian triathletes out of here. This city has so much to offer a race such as this.鈥�
What is impressive about today鈥檚 throng of competitors is that 52 per cent of them are from outside sa国际传媒, including from California, Latin America and Europe. Forty-four per cent of the competitors are women.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to see it grow into this. It鈥檚 a whole different vibe [with Ironman involved]. It鈥檚 the perfect evolution,鈥� Paul Regensburg said.
Regensburg operated the race with fellow international triathlon coach Lance Watson from 2007 until they sold the majority of their former West Coast Series of races, including the Elk Lake event, to Ironman in 2014.
鈥淭he Elk Lake race is one of the biggest sports economic-generator events in Victoria, and probably the biggest in Saanich,鈥� Regensburg said.
Today鈥檚 turnout will break last year鈥檚 record of 1,300-plus competitors when Ironman first took over the race. That, in turn, had bettered the former record of 950 from 2013, the final year Regensburg and Watson operated the race.
Elk Lake was bustling with activity on the eve of the race on Saturday as the competitors made their preparations.
Some had a pre-race swim in the lake. Bike mechanics were on site for last-minute tweaks. Buses shuttled the competitors to and from the venue from designated pick-up spots around town.
The competitors listened to the pre-race talk from PA announcer Jordan Back about the do鈥檚 and don鈥檛s of the race, including: 鈥淣o public urination [port-a-potties will be plentiful along the course]鈥� and 鈥渘o drafting within five bike lengths.鈥�
Ironman 70.3 Victoria race director Evan Taylor, also race director for next month鈥檚 Ironman sa国际传媒 in Whistler, was the definition of a multi-tasker on Saturday as he zipped around Elk Lake helping with venue set-up.
Asked if he felt like part of a five-ring sporting circus, Taylor quipped: 鈥淚t鈥檚 more like a 20-ring circus.鈥�
