Five Canadians Join Team Challenge

-By Jennifer Faraone

The Challenge Family recently announced its Team Challenge – comprised of 64 age-group athletes, including five Canadians. They include: Jeremy Townes (Ste. Stephen, NB), Carolyn Peppin (Fredericton, NB), Michel Gagne (Levis, Que.), Jeff Bradley (Calgary) and Erin Lee (Vancouver). As ambassadors, athletes will represent the Challenge brand to the fullest of their capabilities and promote the North American Races. “These athletes will help us with a variety of things including brand awareness, community outreach and social media outreach with the ultimate goal of driving registration for us,” explains Eric Opdyke, Challenge Triathlon’s Operations Director. “It is the single most important marketing program we have.”

The creation of Team Challenge positively reflects the recent merger between Revolution3 (Rev3) Tri and the Challenge Family. Both series focus on making their racing events more than just a race, placing a lot of emphasis on the athletes and their families’ experience leading up to the events; the partnership between the two series was a natural fit. Starting in 2015, there will be 13 races across North America as part of the Challenge Family brand (including 9 in the US, 2 in Canada and 2 in Mexico). Many of the existing Rev3 Tri age-group team members were grandfathered into the newly formed Team Challenge. Together, the existing and newer team members will help to promote awareness of this partnership.

Team Challenge athletes receive many benefits, including free race entry into all Challenge North American races, discounted registration fees for spouses and children, a free racing kit and apparel, a generous supply of PowerBar products and team events at races. “Joining the Team Challenge is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” says Jeremy Townes. “As an age group athlete with a full time career, wife and soon to be father, getting this level of support from the Challenge Family and their sponsors really helps me continue on this triathlon journey. I agree with the Challenge Family’s core values; that there is more to triathlon than racing. The family oriented locations, weekends full of expos, pasta parties, site seeing, amusement parks, etc.; it all adds up to the all-inclusive experience of a Challenge Race.”

More information about the Challenge Family can be found at www.challenge-family.com