The race must go on, Apple Triathlon says
Smoke casting shadow on sold-out event
“We’ll do everything we can to avoid a cancellation,” said Apple Triathlon race director Susie Ernsting on Friday, answering questions about whether Sunday's race could be cancelled because of the smoky air.
The triathlon is sold out, with 1,400 athletes set to compete.
“We’ll be monitoring conditions hour by hour,” said Matthew Canzer, chairman of the Kelowna Apple Triathlon Society .
Air quality can change quickly, but this is not the triathlon’s first time facing this issue.
“There was smoke in 2015, in 2016,” said Canzer. “We’re monitoring it very closely.”
The air quality health index rating dropped from a nine to a seven on Friday, and is predicted to drop to six on Saturday. Race officials suggested that they would cancel or delay the event for a nine or 10, delay or shorten the event for a seven or eight, and will not alter the event if the AQHI rating is under seven.
“A final decision will be made on race day prior to the beginning of the races,” said an air quality update issued jointly by Apple Triathlon and Triathlon Canada on Thursday. “We will try to give athletes as much notice as possible about the race conditions, and we appreciate your patience.”
The triathlon offers three races for adults — standard, with a 1.5kilometre swim, 37.2-km bike, and 10-km run; sprint, with a 750-metre swim, 16.8-km bike, and five-km run; and try-a-tri, with a 300-metre swim, 8.5-km bike, and 1.7-km run. There are also events for kids. To accommodate the race, Bernard Avenue will be closed from Abbott Street to Water Street all weekend. Sections of Water Street and Lawrence Avenue will also be closed on Saturday and Sunday mornings, reopening at 1 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Super League triathlon series of races in Penticton began Friday.
Organizers do not expect to cancel any of the weekend events.
However, a 50-team youth soccer tournament, the Peach Classic, was cancelled in Penticton due to the smoke.