Only in Victoria could pro triathlete Trevor Wurtele casually mention on Saturday he was influenced 鈥渓ocally around here鈥� by three-time Ironman Hawaii world champion Peter Reid, Olympic champion Simon Whitfield and Ironman sa国际传媒 champion Jasper Blake.
You could throw in Olympian and rising Ironman star Brent McMahon, who this month recorded the third-fastest Ironman time in history, and two-time Ironman Hawaii world women鈥檚 champion Lori Bowden.
sa国际传媒鈥檚 most successful triathlon community hosts its biggest annual race today, the Subaru Ironman 70.3 Victoria, with the swim in Beaver Lake, cycle race around the Saanich Peninsula and run around the Elk/Beaver Lake trails.
The 70.3 designation, formerly known as the Half Iron, denotes the half Ironman total distance of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike race and 13.1-mile run.
Among the top seeds today are husband-and-wife Trevor and Heather Wurtele. They know these waters, roads and trails well.
鈥淚鈥檝e been [racing] in California, Mexico and Utah the last little bit and it鈥檚 great to come back home to roots,鈥� said Heather Wurtele, during the pre-race pro panel discussion on Saturday at Beaver Lake.
鈥淚 did my first ever race here [the event has a 21-year history and was formerly known as the New Balance Half Iron],鈥� said Heather, women鈥檚 silver medallist at the 2015 Ironman 70.3 world championships and bronze medallist in the 2014 70.3 worlds.
鈥淭his is where I learned how to do triathlon. I remember all these roads and trails well. It鈥檚 going to be a fun day,鈥� added the 36-year-old native of Vernon, who earned her masters degree in plant physiology at the University of Victoria.
The 2013 Ironman sa国际传媒 champion Trevor Wurtele, also a UVic grad from Vernon, is the other half of Team Wurtele, as they travel around the world in their RV to compete.
Rachel McBride of Vancouver is another pro racing today with strong Island connections.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of a hometown race and a huge event for me,鈥� said McBride, returning after 13 months off.
鈥淚t means a lot for me to come back. I have family here. The roads are amazing.鈥�
McBride鈥檚 nickname is the Purple Tiger, with her hair dyed in that colour. Her motto is an old Tibetan proverb: 鈥淚t is better to have lived one day as a Tiger than a thousand years as a sheep.鈥�
Also a cellist, she has thought long and deeply about her sport. 鈥淲hen you take it to an existential level, any pain you are feeling during the race is minimal in the context of the universe,鈥� McBride said, during the pro panel.
But one鈥檚 head also needs to come out of the clouds. 鈥淵ou have to bring it down and focus . . . and check in with your body.鈥�
The racing began at 6 a.m.
There are 30 qualifying spots available out of the Victoria race for the 2016 world 70.3 championships in Mooloolaba, Australia.
