Athletes of all stripes will descend on Elk Lake on July 13 for a race that’s as gritty as it is scenic.
The Victoria Half Triathlon weaves together a challenging swim, a sweeping ride through the Saanich countryside, and a shady, lakeside run to the finish.
For race director Tom Bamford, it’s a full-circle moment – the course footprint traces back to 1995, when triathlon in the Capital Region was just starting to gain traction.
“It just feels embedded in nature,” Bamford said. “You’ve got this beautiful lake with grand trees, rolling hills, and even if it’s a hot sunny day, you’re sheltered by these large, wonderful trees. It feels like you’re just immersed in nature.”
The event is expected to draw around 500 athletes across six race categories, with the marquee half-distance event covering a 1.9-km swim in Elk Lake, a 90-km bike loop that stretches all the way to Victoria International Airport and back, and a 21-km run around the lake.
Those looking for a lighter challenge can sign up for Olympic, Sprint, or “Fun Try” distances.
The festival-like format also includes an Aquabike option (just the swim and bike), duathlon (run-bike-run), and relay teams – allowing families and friend groups to split the load and cross the finish line together.
“It’s a stepping stone,” Bamford said. “Some athletes will go on to Ironman, others are just here to challenge themselves. But either way, this is something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.”
The Victoria Half shares distances with the Ironman-branded event held in May, but Bamford is quick to point out the grassroots nature of his race – smaller in scale, more intimate, and designed to foster personal achievement.
“Our event is more grassroots and we’ll host maybe 500 athletes,” Bamford said. “It’s big enough to be exciting, but not so big that it’s overwhelming.”
Still, organizers are keeping a close eye on Elk Lake’s water quality.
A blue-green algae bloom in May forced Ironman to cancel its swim, pivoting the race into a duathlon.
Similar conditions remain in place, but Bamford says they're preparing for those obstacles.
“You can tell by the colour of the water. It just looks different,” he said. “That bloom comes and goes nearly every year, and this year it seems more intense. We’re doing our own testing and we’ll be ready to pivot if needed.”
Should conditions rule out the swim, athletes will instead launch into a run-bike-run format or begin the race in staggered pairs with a timed bike-run sequence. It’s all thanks to modern timing chips that remove the need for mass starts.
“The beautiful thing about our sport is the technology allows for flexibility,” Bamford said. “It’s about keeping it safe and making sure athletes still get a great experience.”
Bamford has been building events across Western Canada for decades.
He got his start in the 1980s after watching a triathlon in Invermere and was instantly hooked.
Since then, he’s raced around the world and launched or acquired more than a dozen events of his own.
His philosophy? Make it safe, make it fun, and make it worth the investment of energy, time and money.
“This sport changes people,” he said. “They get the tattoo. They come back. They see so much room for improvement. It becomes a journey.”
That’s part of why he’s especially encouraged by this year’s registration numbers.
Participation is up from last year – especially in the 25 to 32 age group, a demographic critical to the sport’s long-term future.
“A lot of them are new,” Bamford said. “And if they have a good experience, they come back and they bring others. It’s how the sport grows.”
For spectators, the prime viewing spot is Hamsterly Beach – the nerve centre of the event.
Athletes pass through the area multiple times during the race and all events start and finish there. Parking is restricted, but shuttle buses will be available.
Behind the scenes, around 300 volunteers and a core team of race captains are pulling together the final logistics – water stations, lifeguards, traffic plans, and hundreds of small details that make the whole thing tick.
“Right now, we’re putting the touches on things,” Bamford said. “It’s a big logistical puzzle, but when it all comes together, it’s special. People cross that finish line changed.”
