Athletes hit the streets
Too bad there are no triathlon teams based in Antarctica.
If there were, all seven continents would have been represented in the Parade of Nations staged Wednesday evening as part of the ITU Multisport World Championships Festival.
The other six continents showed just fine, though, as upwards of 1,000 athletes, organized by country, assembled near Penticton Secondary School and made their way north on Main Street to Gyro Park, for a Canada 150 party.
Teams ranged from a few hundred people each for Canada, the U.S. and Australia, to just single athletes for others, such as Ukraine and the Netherlands.
The lone Dutchman was 56-year-old Pim Veeger, who’s competing in Sunday’s long-distance triathlon.
A veteran of the international race circuit, he took the spectacle in stride.
“It’s OK. We’ve been to multiple world championships. Lots of times there are more people, but because it’s so far from Europe this year, there are fewer participants,” said Veeger, who works in the information-technology department at a bank.
“Next year it’s in Denmark, so for all the Canadians and Americans it’s going to be harder to attend.”
Garry McCracken, on the other hand, could hardly contain his enthusiasm while waiting to march with his fellow Canucks.
The 66-year-old former Penticton resident, who now works as a triathlon coach in Lake Country, spent 22 years as an engineer in the Canadian military, so he knows a thing or two about parades.
“This is nothing new, but it’s different,” said McCracken, who will race alongside Veeger in Sunday’s long-distance triathlon.
McCracken said representing Canada in Penticton was just as much of a thrill for him as serving his country overseas.
“Oh, hell yeah. I wear the maple leaf on my sleeve — I wear it on my leg, too,” he added, pointing to a tattoo on his calf.
Wednesday’s parade included only those athletes participating in the events staged during the second half of the festival. Those competing in the first portion had a parade of their own last weekend.
That one drew an estimated 1,500 athletes, who paraded down Lakeshore Drive to the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre.
Organizers say the event will draw a total of 3,600 athletes from 36 countries.
The festival, which began on Aug. 18, wraps up Sunday evening with closing ceremonies in Gyro Park.