VANCOUVER ISLAND RACING

Ironman 70.3 Victoria kicks off the Canadian Ironman series each year in early June and draws triathletes from across North America to beautiful Vancouver Island. Home to some of the country’s best triathletes, Victoria has a rich history of producing top multisport talent. The scenic course covers roads and trails that Brent Mcmahon and other Ironman champions like Peter Reid, Lori Bowden and Melanie Mcquaid train on year-round and draws a field of talented pros. It’s the perfect destination for a spring vacation and a chance to test yourself against a backdrop of outdoor Canadian beauty.

“For the past 25-plus years the organizers have done a great job of making the race a pretty good representation of what it’s like training in Victoria: loops of the peninsula on the bike and loops of the lake running,” says Canadian pro Stephen Kilshaw, who looks forward to the event each year. “It’s classic Victoria training.”

Last year was the first that Ironman 70.3 Victoria held a self-seeded rolling start for the swim, giving athletes the opportunity to choose their appropriate speed for the one-loop swim in Beaver Lake. For most athletes racing Victoria as their first race of the year, open water swim season has barely started. Those looking to get some extra time in the water pre-race can attend a weekly open-water swim group that meets on Friday mornings at the nearby Thetis Lake and draws participants on race weekend for a great warm-up session.

Ironman 70.3 Victoria’s bike course tours the beautiful Saanich Peninsula and heads through some quiet neighbourhoods for the first few kilometres before taking in wider, rural roads for the remainder.