Victoria, no stranger to producing triathletes or hosting long-distance running and bike races, submitted a bid by Monday's deadline to become the permanent home of the Ironman Canada race.
The bid was prepared and entered by SportHost Victoria and Tourism Victoria.
The World Triathlon Corporation, which owns the Ironman brand, is expected to make its decision Oct. 10. The deal would be for five years, with option to renew.
Penticton, which has hosted Ironman Canada for three decades, became dissatisfied with the financial arrangement. It has now entered into an agreement to host an annual race in the rival European-based Challenge Brand.
There is no shortage of communities wanting to associate themselves with the Ironman cachet. Other cities expected to bid for Ironman Canada are Whistler, Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops and Calgary.
The Greater Victoria route would involve 10 of the 13 municipalities.
"All 10 are aware of the proposed route and have an information summary of what is required to pull it off," said Hugh MacDonald, executive director of SportHost Victoria.
"Kamloops just has to go to its mayor but it's more complicated here, obviously. Yet we annually put on the Goodlife Fitness Royal Victoria Marathon and Ryder Hesjedal's Tour de Victoria cycling event and Elk Lake is well known as a water-sport venue. History tells us, we will get the support of the community.
It will not be so much a matter of financing but of co-ordination of things such as policing and traffic control."
MacDonald said that while Penticton could accommodate 2,000 racers, he anticipates between 2,500 and 3,000 annually if Victoria is awarded Ironman Canada.
"This is a high-end event," he said.
"Ironman racers represent an affluent demographic and are not like other amateur athletes."
Victoria is a noted Canadian training centre for triathlon and has produced triathletes such as two-time Olympic medallist Simon Whitfield, Olympian Brent McMahon and Ironman Hawaii world champions Lori Bowden and Peter Reid.
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
