First-time that duathletes have raced in an eclipse
Those competing in Monday’s duathlon world championships in Penticton may have made history by running under the “magical” light of a partial solar eclipse.
“I think this is the first — in my experience — ITU race ever that was in a solar eclipse,” said Ulf Schuetze, an International Triathlon Union official.
“But, of course, we were prepared. All the athletes were briefed on exactly when it would happen, for how long, how much sunlight they could expect,” he continued.
“And the race was planned in a way that athletes would already be off the bike course to be completely safe.”
Schuetze said the ambient light at the peak of the eclipse at 10:25 a.m. was roughly equal to the normal light at 6:30 a.m., so the ITU’s medical team “felt pretty confident it wouldn’t pose any problems.”
North Carolina athlete Joe Carr crossed the finish line just as the eclipse — which blocked about 85 per cent of the sun for two minutes — began to wane, and found it aweinspiring.
“How often do you get that chance? I mean, it’s kind of, like, beyond words, magical,” he said. “It’s a great experience.” Calgary athlete Michael Healy, who finished one minute behind Carr, was equally enthused.
He noticed the light changing as he entered the home stretch of the final run.
“I took my sunglasses off because it seemed like I didn’t need them anymore,” said Healy. “It was very cool.” Not everyone was swept up in eclipse fever, though.
“If I hadn’t heard about it on the news, I would never have noticed it,” said Dean Steinhoff of Moose Jaw, Sask., who finished about 10 minutes before the height of the event. “It’s just another run, in my books.” See page B1 for the full duathlon wrapup.