PRESS RELEASE: (Caledon Ontario SEPT 9th, 2020)
Despite COVID and limited opportunities for athletes to race in 2020, Triathlon Ontario and C3 Canadian Cross Training Club have been able to create COVID’s biggest pro triathlon race in 2020. The lululemon Canadian Pro Triathlon Championship at Osprey Valley will bring together a mixture of Canada’s best short course and long course athletes for the Olympic Distance Triathlon. Swimming 1500m at Caledon’s James Dick Quarry, the athletes will follow up with a 31 lap (40km) bike and finish off with a 8 lap (10km) run. Victoria’s Brent McMahon will highlight the two dozen pro athletes coming to Caledon. McMahon will turn 40 two days after the Saturday Sept 12thtriathlon. Brent McMahon has been to two Olympics, raced 100 plus major triathlons and held the Ironman World Record after his win in Brazil three years ago. “Brent might be Canada’s most complete triathlete when you look at his short course Olympic success balanced with his numerous Ironman & 70.3 wins in the last few years’ said Barrie Shepley. Canada’s Royalty in long distance racing will have Cody Beals (Ironman Mt Tremblant Champion), Jackson Laundry (70.3 Champion). Taylor Reid (70.3 Champion) and Rach McBride (70.3 and Ironman podium finisher) all towing the starting line.
Canada’s superstar long distance athletes are going to be pushed to their limit as many of the current crop of Olympic Distance stars will be making their 2020 racing debut. “Last year’s national champions Karol Ann Roy & Jeremy Briand are racing and in great form’ said race director Barrie Shepley. “Quebec’s Amelie Kretz is hitting life-time PB’s in her training and hopes to be in Tokyo for next year’s Olympic Games while her Quebec team mate Charles Paquet has been one of Canada’s top Olympic distance racers for the last four summers. Commonwealth Games athlete, Domi Jamnicky is undefeated in her 2020 triathlon racing, having won on the Caledon course twice in the last six weeks. “The real dark horse for Saturday is Tamara Jewett who has shown she is running as fast as any triathlete in the world right now” said Shepley. Shepley expects the short course pros to lead out of the water and early on the bike, while the long distance athletes are expected to make their moves later in the bike and on the run course. “We have not had a chance to have the top pros at both distances come together in the same race for many years so its going to be very exciting to watch” said Shepley.
In addition to great racing, organizer’s highest priority was to help generate revenue for Canada’s top triathletes during this difficult COVID year. The event could not have occurred without the volunteers, sponsors, and local- provincial stakeholders all pulling together. Due to COVID race organizers have implemented limited spectators, volunteers and social distancing principles to ensure safety for all involved. Any media inquires can be directed to barrie@personalbest.ca or call 647-400-3845. The women will hit the water at Caledon’s C3 James Dick Quarry at 9am on Saturday.
