IMCA / Whistler - Residents Will Not Renew Permission

GentlemanJerseyDave · June 2017

Looks like IMCA needs a new home yet again. There is talk in the article that some residents are considering race day protests that amount to sabotage. Pemberton passed a resolution last night to not renew. Perhaps we need a new thread about how Canadians are out to destroy Triathlon. Or perhaps we need to have a discussion about how Ironman and our ilk can do more to ingratiate ourselves to the communities we borrow for a whole day. Either way, it feels like a blow to me.

http://triathlonmagazine.ca/feature/village-pemberton-wont-support-renewal-ironman-canada/

Mark_after_Dark · June 2017

For starters, they need to make sure people like Ben Hobbs are not exposing their nipples to the residents of the community.

ellsworth53t · June 2017

GentlemanJerseyDave said:
There is talk in the article that some residents are considering race day protests that amount to sabotage.

This is what a society does when they don't need to stage protests about their health insurance. Quaint.

balsdorf · June 2017

Thats a shame, Whistler was probably my favorite race. I do understand though, while Whistler makes a ton of $$$ from the event, since Pemberton is at the far end of the course I doubt they have very little benefit. I wonder if they can come up with an alternate course that eliminates Pemberton.

The same thing happened here in TX. The Woodlands gets a huge benefit from the race but the rural communities the original bike course went through didn't get any direct benefit and hated all the cyclists training.

Craig_D · June 2017

balsdorf said:
I wonder if they can come up with an alternate course that eliminates Pemberton.

They could do multiple laps to the top of the Callahan "shudder". Too bad as I was hoping to have a go again at it. Whistler was very supportive and the whole place engages in it for sure. I can see why Pemberton hates it. Essentially they're cut off from the world for the better part of 16 hours and have to rely on a shuttle to Whistler.

kjrunnin · June 2017

There are no plans to move. They're exploring alternatives for the bike route that don't use the Meadows Rd (yay, I hated that section- 55k flat as a pancake with wind).

They will still be cut off from Whistler until the Hwy reopens but now they'll be able to drive the farm roads in Pemberton. Not sure they've gained much with this.

GentlemanJerseyDave · June 2017

Dark_mark said:
For starters, they need to make sure people like Ben Hobbs are not exposing their nipples to the residents of the community.

Very underrated commentary on the subject. Obviously WTC implemented their male uniform requirements after seeing that video of Ben running shirtless (which I can't find) and saw the future. For once they got out ahead of the matter.

M_Ware · June 2017

@GentlemanJerseyDave, for you --

National running day.

A post shared by TRS Triathlon (@trstriathlon) on Jun 7, 2017 at 12:48pm PDT

GentlemanJerseyDave · June 2017

@M_Ware - Thar She Blows!!! Thank You.

Martin · June 2017

"Lack of respect for residents' property" means don't drop your gel wrappers, or your drawers, on the course.

balsdorf · June 2017

And don't pee in their yards.

kjrunnin · June 2017

balsdorf said:
And don't pee in their yards.

It was ONE time ffs.

rigpig · June 2017

Without that flat meadow out and back, the bike elevation is gonna be over 10k ft. With CDA canning their IM, looking like Boulder is my closest IM now. F.

Craig_D · June 2017

It would be interesting to hear the conversations about the potential route changes. I agree if they keep it there and do multiple loops it will be ugly. Maybe the move it to Victoria?

kjrunnin · June 2017

Craig D said:
It would be interesting to hear the conversations about the potential route changes. I agree if they keep it there and do multiple loops it will be ugly. Maybe the move it to Victoria?

I can't remember the deets on the route alternatives only that it's not multiple loops, nor is it Squamish and back - (which would be ugly). If they were moving - and word has it that it'll be Whistler for next 3 yrs - it wouldn't surprise me if it leaves BC. Banff would be nice, maybe.

I swore I wouldn't do Whistler again after the monsoon in 2015 but with a route change next year, it will be like a whole new race!

ItsShug · June 2017

rigpig said:
Without that flat meadow out and back, the bike elevation is gonna be over 10k ft. With CDA canning their IM, looking like Boulder is my closest IM now. F.

Looks like you better just hang up the bike. Come drink beer and eat bbq instead

Brent_R · July 2017

kjrunnin said:
Banff would be nice, maybe.

I strongly doubt that there is a lake warm enough for a 3.8 km swim near Banff. The old Oly distance race there had all kinds of problems with shortened swims etc. Also, the National Park permitting for this stuff is a nightmare.

I suspect you have better odds in the Okanagan somewhere.

kjrunnin · July 2017

Brent_R said:

kjrunnin said:
Banff would be nice, maybe.

I strongly doubt that there is a lake warm enough for a 3.8 km swim near Banff. The old Oly distance race there had all kinds of problems with shortened swims etc. Also, the National Park permitting for this stuff is a nightmare.

I suspect you have better odds in the Okanagan somewhere.

A canceled swim? Even better!!

I love the Okanagan. I wonder what will happen after ITU World's this year. I can't see Challenge trying to run a full again.

Martin · July 2017

BC is such a screwy province that they could just annex Pemberton into Whistler, and take away any democratic power that these angry villagers have.

kjrunnin · July 2017

Screwy provinces are the best provinces.

Now hold my almond milk latte while I send some Namaste vibes to the angry villagers.

Matt · July 2017

Lake Louise was freakin' cold 3 days ago...

KenElPescadoPelado · July 2017

kjrunnin said:
Screwy provinces are the best provinces.

Now hold my almond milk latte while I send some Namaste vibes to the angry villagers.

IDK about the permitting process in Canada. So namaste out of this argument, myself.

kjrunnin · July 2017

HSeeley14 · July 2017

kjrunnin said:

Interesting. Rampant rumours still abound that while IM has renewed "Ironman Canada" through 2020, the location is not set in stone. Kelowna and Calgary are rumoured alternatives. Would love to see it back in Penticton, but not sure that will ever happen. Personally I have never done IM Whistler, but I hear the course is amazing. The issues I have with Whistler as a spectator and potential athlete are:

-expensive and limited accommodation (you are trapped in Whistler)
-1 road in and 1 out (I would be pissed off if I was a resident or business owner)
-not very spectator friendly for the bike or the swim (not that it's that fun to watch a bunch of bikes whip by one time, but some athletes would probably love some more crowd support out in the dead zones)
-parking is not easy (trapped in the main parking lots all day) and is expensive

I guess all race venues have issues so it wouldn't really matter where the race was, but considering there are only 2 full IM's (the IM brand ones anyway) in ALL OF CANADA I just don't get why they can't try some other great locations that are more amenable and that the local communities actually want. I mean, who wouldn't want to race in Dawson City, Yukon?

kjrunnin · July 2017

Honestly I've not found the accommodations to be any more expensive at Whistler than anywhere else during an Ironman week. Penticton, & Coeur D'Alene aren't cheap during event week. We just paid $300 a night for a 3 bdrm, 2 bathroom condo that sleeps 6 comfortably (and you could get a 7th on the couch if you wanted to) that was right across from Olympic Plaza. We attended the welcome ceremony from the balcony. I thought that was pretty reasonable.

I love the Penticton bike course (run not so much) but I didn't find it any more spectator friendly than Whistler. Maybe that's because I did it under Challenge brand so there were less than 300 of us and NO spectators. There was a lot more support at Whistler - even doing it the year of the monsoon.

I will probably sign up for next year but I want to know what the new bike course looks like. I won't miss the Pemberton flats but an alternoute route that has us riding to Squamish and back would be hideous. Two loops of the 70.3 route wouldn't be bad. It only goes up Callaghan at that first steep part and the turnaround out Pemberton way is Rutherford Creek. That would keep the highway closed between Callaghan and the Village longer though so that's probably not a viable option.

Craig_D · July 2017

I went to Whistler in 2015. I booked my hotel in May and did not feel over charged and had lots of choices of decent places that late in the game. I only booked for the nights I needed to stay and nothing more. One of the issues that I heard with Penticton was limited hotel capacity so the vendors were forcing you to book for a week at a time and the pricing was highly inflated.

I can't compare course specifics as I've only been to Whistler. I enjoyed the variety of the course and the fact that it is considered harder than most. The big thing for me is Whistler offers a lot more for my family to do while I'm out pretending to be an athlete. If I made them hang around and watch me I'm sure they'd be suffering at least as much as I would. There's enough to keep them entertained while checking in on me from time to time. That's probably the most important thing that I consider personally.

HSeeley14 · August 2017

I think what I mean about Whistler being expensive is that you pretty much have to stay in Whistler itself as there is no nearby town to stay in that may offer less expensive accommodation. Not everyone wants or can afford to pay $300+ per night or be forced to stay for a week minimum no matter where the race venue. Not saying Penticton is a better location overall, but there are cheaper accommodation options in the outlying towns: Summerland, Peachland, Oliver, OK Falls, etc. It's also nice for some to be able to get away from the craziness and staying 10-15 minutes away from the shit show can be a welcome retreat. Maybe I just have a hate-on for Whistler in general. I doubt IM will ever come back to Penticton as there is a strong hatred here by some as well, but there has to be at least a few other Canadian locations they can look at???

jamoozle · August 2017

Halifax.

Matt · August 2017

Meanwhile, all the hotels for IM Lake Placid 2018 are sold out. $500+/night and 5-6 night minimums. (according to ST)

Aaron Webstey · August 2017

jamoozle said:
Halifax.

I think it'll be a long time before we have another long distance race in the metro region, after Epic went down. Too far from ... pretty much everything, and no really good venue for a course that long if you grow it to Ironman-type numbers.

New Brunswick, on the other hand? I'm a little surprised there isn't already an Ironman® Saint George on the same weekend as Challenge Saint Andrews. Even better, do an IM in Fredericton and watch every triathlete in Québec come down to grab an "easy" Kona slot.

Ryan Heisler · August 2017

Matt said:
Meanwhile, all the hotels for IM Lake Placid 2018 are sold out. $500+/night and 5-6 night minimums. (according to ST)

The Courtyard isn't booking yet. Golden Arrow is $329/night with a 5 night minimum. Crowne will open up. And most of the Airbnb's won't start booking yet, either.

Staying outside of Placid saves you hundreds of dollars a night, may not have more than a 3 night minimum, and gets you away from the batshit insane folks in town. Only problem is trying to make it to the Brewery...still haven't been back since the Great Fire and Pope Joke of 2015.

frame

Howdy, Stranger!

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

IMCA / Whistler - Residents Will Not Renew Permission

Comments

Leave a Comment

foot

Contact us

Get In Touch

frame

Howdy, Stranger!

Howdy, Stranger!

Quick Links

Categories

IMCA / Whistler - Residents Will Not Renew Permission

Comments

Leave a Comment

foot

Contact us

Get In Touch