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Subaru PTO Chase to take place at Guelph Lake, Ont. in June

Race to kick off Subaru Triathlon Series event at Guelph Lake Conservation Area

Photo by: Kevin Mackinnon

According to a report on endurancebiz.com, the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has teamed up with the Subaru Triathlon Series for a “Chase” event to be held at Guelph Lake Conservation Area on June 19. The PTO is putting up a US$15,000 prize purse for the race.

The race will be the first event of the Guelph Lake 1 weekend, one of the most popular races in the Subaru Triathlon Series. The pro women will head off at a “pre-determined, calculated time before the pro men.” Prize money will go to the top three males and females, along with bonuses to the top three across the line.

Tereza Macel took the 2006 Muskoka Chase. Photo: Subaru Ironman Canada 2010 by Dave McColm

Muskoka Chase

The “Chase” format has some history with the Subaru Triathlon Series. From 2004 to 2006 the “Muskoka Chase” included a 2 km swim, 55 km bike and a 15 km run and saw some of the sport’s premier competitors take part.  In 2004 the women left 18:05 ahead of the men – it was the only year the men got to the line first as Australia’s Miles Stewart beat Canadians Tom Evans and Jasper Blake, with Tereza Macel winning the women’s race and coming fourth overall. In year two the women were given a lead of 19:28. That year Olympian Samantha McGlone got to the line first almost three minutes ahead of Simon Whitfield, who was in turn just under two minutes ahead of Craig Alexander. The third and final year of the Muskoka Chase saw Tereza Macel get to the line first – she left along with the rest of the pro women 18 minutes before the men and would beat Whitfield across the line by 39 seconds. Whitfield had to outsprint McGlone to get to the line in second, though – the defending champ was only five seconds behind the Olympic gold medalist.

Related: The Canadian Pro Triathlon Championship

Looped courses

Should spectators be allowed at the event it should be an entertaining race to watch – the race will feature a two-loop 1,500 m swim, a three-loop 45 km bike and a three-loop 12 km run. There will be a live broadcast on social media with a highlight show a few days later.

Subaru has been the largest triathlon supporter in Canada for decades – its relationship with the Subaru Triathlon Series began in the early 90s and it became the title sponsor of Ironman Canada in 1996. It has been the title sponsor for all Ironman events here in Canada since 2015. The original “chase” format took place in the early 2000s in Muskoka.