A stacked professional field headlines Ironman 70.3 Victoria
Canada's Ironman season opener - Ironman 70.3 Victoria
On June 2nd, thousands of age group triathletes will kick off the Ironman season in Canada with the 70.3 event in Victoria, BC. This year’s race will also feature a stacked professional field of North American and international talent.
The 1.9K swim takes place in Elk Lake with a rolling start format. Water temperatures are expected to favour a wetsuit legal swim. On the bike, athletes will ride through four island municipalities, with stunning views of Haro Strait, the Coastal Mountains and Saanich Inlet. Ironman 70.3 Victoria boasts one of the finest run courses in Canada. Featuring two laps around Elk Lake, the run takes place entirely on hard packed trails.
In the professional men’s race, Cody Beals (CAN) returns to defend his 2018 title. In order to make it two years in a row, Beals will have to hold off Nathan Killam (CAN), Sam Long (USA), Taylor Reid (CAN), Ben Hoffman (USA), Tim O’Donnell (USA) and a handful of other elite long-course triathletes. With Beals’ Kona debut in October, this year’s race in Victoria will be a key test in his Ironman build-up. Following the race in Victoria, the Canadian will compete at Ironman 70.3 Eagleman the next weekend (June 9th). Beals will then race Challenge Roth in July, and Ironman Mont-Tremblant in August.
An impressive start list has also been assembled on the women’s side. Last year’s runner up and third place finisher, Jen Annett (CAN) and Jennifer Spieldenner (USA) will have another close battle on hand against the likes of Mirinda Carfrae (AUS), Heather Wurtele (CAN), Chelsea Sobaro (USA) and Paula Findlay (CAN). Annett will be using Ironman 70.3 Victoria in preparation for Ironman Frankfurt on June 30th.
