Multisport festival to be ‘incredible spectacle’
Elite athletes competing, including Penticton’s Symonds and Annett
The countdown is on — it’s just one week until the inaugural International Triathlon Union Multisport World Championship Festival that is being held right here in Penticton and the surrounding area.
It’s the continuation of a hectic part of the Penticton summer schedule with the 70th annual Peach Festival wrapping up just a few days before the Multisport gets going on Friday, Aug. 18.
Roughly 3,500 athletes and 4,000 supporters will descend on the city for 10 days of world championship races and events.
ITU has of course run world championships for many years, but never before has it run six major competitions in one location.
Penticton will be that venue — and the entire world will be watching.
World championship races will be held in Aquathon, Sprint Duathlon, Standard Duathlon, Cross Triathlon, Aquabike and — likely the biggest and most anticipated — Long Distance Triathlon, with some of the biggest names in the sport taking part, including local professionals Jeff Symonds and Jen Annett.
Each race includes Elite, Under-23, Junior, Para, Age Group and Open Wave categories. Among the 40-plus countries represented include Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan and Spain.
It’s going to be an incredible spectacle. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime event for Penticton, but perhaps not.
When big-time events are staged here, they tend to be such a success that they often return.
Just because it’s a world championship event doesn’t mean local athletes can’t take part. Anyone can participate in the Open Wave division of all six ITU events.
And if you’d like to help out, volunteers are still needed with more than 1,800 positions available. Sign up at penticton2017.com or email volunteers@penticton2017.com.
Of course, staging a festival of this magnitude means there will be a few inconveniences over the course of the 10 days.
Residents are encouraged to check temporary road closures, expect some changes to transit routes, anticipate higher volumes of traffic and consider stocking up on groceries and other essentials before the festival.
The good will far outweigh the bad. The festival will bring world-class competition and entertainment, tons of other fun things to see and do (street dance, kids’ triathlon, family fun run, and two athlete parades, for starters), while bringing world-wide exposure to Penticton and the entire South Okanagan region.
SUMMER OF SPORT
We’re in the middle of quite a two-month stretch of high-profile sports activities in Penticton.
July was crazy with the Peach Classic (the oldest continuously running triathlon in B.C.) and the Challenge Penticton triathlon, with another wildly successful B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame induction dinner sandwiched in between.
Last weekend we witnessed one of the most exciting Ultra520K Canada triathlons ever, and this Sunday we have the resurrection of the Skaha Lake Ultra Swim after a 13-year absence, with a record 100 athletes taking part in the event from Skaha Beach to Kenyon Park in OK Falls.
Also on this weekend is the 14th annual Sheila Bishop Memorial Wooden Bat slo-pitch tournament with all proceeds going to local charity.
A few days into the Multisport Festival, the defending BCHL-champion Penticton Vees will return to the ice for training camp on Aug. 21 with their first pre-season game against West Kelowna Warriors on Aug. 23. Their first home pre-season game is also against the Warriors Aug. 30 at the SOEC.
The Vees play their first regular-season game on Sept. 8 in Merritt. One of the reasons they start the season on the road is because another hugely popular annual Penticton event — the Vancouver Canucks Young Stars Classic — will invade the SOEC from Sept. 8 to 11.
The four-team, round-robin tournament – features the top prospects from the Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Winnipeg Jets.
The Vees don’t play their home opener until Sept. 29 against those Warriors, but anyone needing their junior hockey fix before then can still get it as the KIJHL season also starts on Sept. 8 with the Summerland Steam opening at home.
Can’t forget that the kids will be returning to the classrooms on Sept. 5 with school sports such as volleyball, field hockey, soccer and cross-country running among those getting out of the blocks.
Think I might spend some time in the “quiet room” this weekend to rest up before all the fun begins.
David Crompton is a sports reporter at the Penticton Herald. Email: david.crompton@pentictonherald.ca.