The race goes on.
The Ultra520K Canada endurance race will not come to an end next year, as originally expected.
At the beginning of this year, Steve Brown, founder and race director of the Ultra520K race, said 2017 and 2018 would be the final years for the three-day endurance triathlon.
Brown, 66, was looking to step back from the race and retire.
However, athletes continued to approach him, interested in participating in the triathlon.
As a result, Brown and some of the main event organizers have now reached an agreement to keep the event in operation.
“Not only was it my local group, but I was getting a lot of support and encouragement from the athlete community to continue,” he said. “The 2018 event is already full and I’m still getting requests to do the event. Following through on those requests, it is becoming obvious that we need to keep moving the event forward.”
The 2018 event, which will be held Aug. 4 to 6, is already sold out.
Registration has now opened for those on the wait list for the 2018 race and those willing to support a 2019 event.
For 2019, there are 15 confirmations for the 35 available spots and organizers are now opening the event for general registration to all athletes.
The first three-day triathlon event was held in 1993, but it has not been held every year. This past event was the 17th edition of the race.
The first day of the triathlon is a 10.0-kilometre swim from Penticton to Okanagan Falls, followed by a 149.8-kilometre bike portion from Okanagan Falls, over the Richter Pass and back to Okanagan Falls.
The second day is a 275.8-kilometre bike ride beginning in Penticton and ending in Princeton.
The third day is an 84.4-kilometre double marathon from Princeton to Summerland.
