B.C.鈥檚 oldest and most storied triathlons returns to Penticton this Sunday, July 16.
Hundreds of athletes will be up bright and early when the Peach Classic Triathlon celebrates its 40th year in Penticton.
Supporters can cheer on the swimmers starting at 7 a.m. from Lakeshore Drive, when they enter the water at Rotary Park Beach, followed by the biking and running courses along city roads and the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) Trail toward Naramata and back.
While the standard swim course will be 1.5 kilometres, the biking and running sections will be 40 and 10 kilometres in length, respectively.
Cyclists will be travelling up Vancouver Hill and along Naramata Road. City staff says the area will be cleared by 10:30 a.m.
Some participants will compete in 鈥渟print鈥� and 鈥渟uper-sprint鈥� courses that feature 700-metre and 400-metre swims, 20-kilometre and 10-kilometre rides, and five-kilometre and 2.5-kilometres runs.
Full course information can be found here.
The Peach City Triathlon held its first race in 1983. It attracted more than 250 athletes during its latest event last summer.
The non-profit group Penticton Triathlon Club recently took over the operations of the event.
Road Closures
The event will come with a number of road closures starting at 6 a.m.
It requires a road closure of Lakeshore Drive, with cyclists and runners sharing the road on their journeys between Penticton and Naramata.
City staff say Lakeshore Drive between Riverside Drive and Winnipeg Street will be closed from 6 until 9 a.m. on race day, with the stretch of Lakeshore Drive between Winnipeg Street and Front Street closed starting at 6 a.m. This section will reopen in waves as the morning continues.
鈥淒rivers should use extreme caution and be prepared to share the road with runners and cyclists,鈥� the city says in a press release. 鈥溾�楻ace in Progress鈥� signs will be posted during the race.鈥�
The section of Lakeshore, between Winnipeg and Martin, is planned to reopen at 12:10 p.m.
Access to the Lakeside Resort and Pier Water Sports during the event will be made available from Main Street.
City staff is reminding residents that the triathlon will also impact BC Transit鈥檚 local No. 5 and 16 bus routes.
PHOTOS: Perfect conditions for Peach Classic triathlon in 2022
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logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
