Challenge

[ToddT]

I think we dropped the ball in not paying Ironman the money they wanted. The city saw it as a cash grab. I saw it as paying for advertising. Oh wait...we STILL don't do that here.

[Madhue]

I think we dropped the ball in not paying Ironman the money they wanted. The city saw it as a cash grab. I saw it as paying for advertising. Oh wait...we STILL don't do that here.

I think we not only dropped the Ball but gave up the whole Game. I believe you are correct.

[smoky500]

I sometimes wonder why I bother to read these forums, so many negative people. Ironman did not make the race(Penticton/South Okanagan) the venue made the race one of the most popular in the Ironman series. This is what I hear in so many words from the participants. I talked to several this year (former Ironman participants that had been to several different races) and they plan on coming back. They also like the idea of the relay team where one person does a leg. Ironman numbers were way down because the participants do not like the new venue (again words I heard from the participants). All in all, I think that the Challenge numbers will come up, especially with the new ownership.
Madhue, better give up on Ironman coming back here, not going to happen.

[ToddT]

I sometimes wonder why I bother to read these forums, so many negative people. Ironman did not make the race(Penticton/South Okanagan) the venue made the race one of the most popular in the Ironman series. This is what I hear in so many words from the participants. I talked to several this year (former Ironman participants that had been to several different races) and they plan on coming back. They also like the idea of the relay team where one person does a leg. Ironman numbers were way down because the participants do not like the new venue (again words I heard from the participants). All in all, I think that the Challenge numbers will come up, especially with the new ownership.
Madhue, better give up on Ironman coming back here, not going to happen.

You're right. Ironman didn't make the race. Ironman made the money.

[sale4u]

I agree with Smokey500, Iron got greedy and believed that their race is why people came here, WRONG! People came/come here because it is a beautiful place. Any money making organization that makes their money on the backs of volunteers instead of having to pay employees and off the generosity of a city with "in kind" donations of city staff and RCMP should really have the common sense to at least pretend to say thank you over and over again. Instead, they ask for MORE & MORE money from the city and gifts of "in kind" services. Good riddens Ironman and welcome Challenge! Remember please though Challenge that this is a team effort; Challenge, volunteers, the City of Penticton, and especially the overall residents of Penticton that put up with our city being shut down for a day and has to put up with some very disturbing athlete ego's! Oh, can you please tell your athletes "when training on bikes, go single file instead of side by side as there is a VERY serious chance of injury or death as not all residents appreciate your "awesomeness" and can drive very erratically." My rant for the week! :)

[tootall23]

Challenge? What the heck is Challenge? Oh the Triathlon!
Here is my comment. Who cares? As a wage earner it does nothing for me.
As a sports fan I will stay in that day and watch golf on TV.

[Madhue]

Can't believe people still cling to the myth "it's the venue and the volunteers that made the event!"

Really? What about the Brand? Ironman Branding has been extremely effective, that's why other groups are trying to take a part of their pie. Ironman is the World Class leader in this type of event... Penticton is not the world class leader as a venue. There's venues like Penticton all over the world. If it was our sunshine and beaches so compiling then Challenge would rival Ironman as an event... It doesn't . Ironman had a better business plan, an aggressive approach that put media here in penticton. We are fortunate local media covers Challenge.

[fluffy]

Next year will tell us whether this years attendance at both Challenge Penticton (up from last year) and Ironman Whistler (down from last year) are just hiccups or the start of lasting trends. The word is out that the Ironman course at Whistler sucks, and also that Challenge Penticton is growing. I'm interested to see what the new management has in store for us.

[Midnite]

Interesting discussion on Slowtwitch regarding Penticton's triathlon future. It is clear that while the course (particularly the bike segment) is respected, the "Ironman" brand trumps "Penticton" when it comes to the full distance event. 3000/2012 574 /2013 294/2014 (full distance participants). "Ironman" not Penticton brought 'em to town! Penticton is out of the way and expensive and we are competing against numerous other regional Ironman events.
There is some speculation future success may lie with the half distance event. If so this would be quite a blow to one of the original Ironman triathlons. It would appear in the full distance triathlete's mind dropping the WTC was not a good move.
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowt ... 4_P5220262

[nepal]

Interesting article about Whistler
http://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/the-business-of-whistlers-ironman/Content?oid=2563689