With Ottawa transformed into a race course for the world-famous IRONMAN triathlon for the first time this weekend, there will be rippling effects across the city.
Athlete check-in for the
IRONMAN Canada-Ottawa triathlon
began Thursday.
The long-distance triathlon will start at 6 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3, with a 3.8-kilometre swim at Britannia Beach. That will be followed by a 180-kilometre bike ride through local neighbourhoods and will wrap up with a 42.2-kilometre run centred around Parliament Hill.
Triathlon participants have up to 17 hours to complete the event. A celebration breakfast will take place the next day starting at 8:30 a.m., followed by an awards ceremony at 9:30 a.m., both in Confederation Park.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says the event will be very exciting for Ottawa, residents and participants alike, and will be an important boost to the city’s tourism sector. An avid long-distance runner himself, he says he knows the Ottawa triathlon community well.
Residents of the National Capital Region have been travelling all over the world to compete in the triathlon event, including Penticton, B.C., so holding the event on home turf makes it more special, Sutcliffe says.
“It’s a huge win for our city,” Sutcliffe said. “To have an IRONMAN event in Ottawa, where we have a very strong triathlon, multi-sport community, it’s fantastic.”
Will this be a boost in Ottawa tourism?
The “world-class” event is anticipated to draw more than 10,000 attendees and 2,500 participants from Canada, the United States and other countries around the world, according to Sheilagh Doherty, director of Economic Development Services for the City of Ottawa.
The event is expected to drive “significant economic impact” through increased hospitality, retail and tourism sectors.
“IRONMAN showcases Ottawa on a global stage and reinforces our reputation as a premier destination for major international events,” Doherty said.
Jérôme Miousse, director of public affairs at Ottawa Tourism, says
tourism levels for this summer
are better than last year. He said it was hoping to match the 2019 numbers, just after celebrating Canada’s 150th celebration in 2017 and when tourism was growing.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everything, Miousse said, there was a lot of travel and economic growth. “We’ve very big in the domestic market right now because we know that Canadians want to visit Canada,” he said. “It’s also about the legacy of strengthening Ottawa’s reputation as a host for major events, especially major sporting events.”
Sutcliffe says the triathlon is another
“exciting” win from a tourism perspective
, especially for people visiting Ottawa for the first time. “They’re staying in hotels. They’re bringing friends and family,” he said. “When people go to an IRONMAN, they tend to stick around for a little bit and see the city.”
Miousse said Ottawa Tourism had worked with local businesses, including restaurants and attractions, to offer discounts to the athletes.
Unique, urban race course within downtown Ottawa
Throughout the race, athletes will be breezing past popular Ottawa sites, such as Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, Fairmont Château Laurier and the National Gallery of Canada.
While the event takes place throughout the weekend, Sutcliffe says it’s another opportunity to showcase Ottawa to the world, with visitors often commenting about how “picturesque” the city is. “I’m very proud of our city,” he said. “We have a lot to offer here and it’s a great place to visit.
“It’s very special to be hosting this in a capital, major city in Canada and in a place as beautiful as Ottawa.”
Miousse says the IRONMAN event is a good reflection of the active lifestyles many Ottawa residents lead.
“We know Ottawa is a very active city. We value our nature,” he said. “This IRONMAN is one of very few IRONMAN (triathlons) that’s entirely within an urban area.
“Ottawa offers a great combination of natural beauty and urban infrastructure, so that’s what will make this IRONMAN unique.”
What are the traffic impacts?
Unless specified otherwise, all traffic impacts will run from Aug. 3 at 6 a.m. to Aug. 4 at 1 a.m. Major roads that will impacted by the event include:
- Kichi Zībī Mīkan
- Island Park Drive
- Carling Avenue
- Wellington Street
- Colonel By Drive
- Mackenzie Avenue will be closed from 6 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3, until 7 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 4.
- Sussex Drive will be closed between Murray Street and St. Patrick Street from 5 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3, until 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 4.
- Rockcliffe Driveway
- Queen Elizabeth Drive
- Prince of Wales Drive
- National Capital Commission Scenic Driveway
- Arboretum Roadway
Bridges impacted by the event include:
- Alexandra Bridge will be closed from 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 1, until 12 noon on Monday, Aug. 4.
- Champlain Bridge
- Chaudière Bridge
- Portage Bridge
- Pretoria Bridge
What will public transit be like during IRONMAN?
Some OC Transpo bus routes will be detoured due to event-related road closures. The city advises commuters to check OC Transpo’s alert pages for detour information about specific routes and to allow extra time between travels.
In addition, the National Capital Commission says the Gatineau Park shuttle will not be stopped at Pīndigen Park and the Canadian Museum of History. The closest downtown spot will be on Montcalm.
Spectator spots across the city can still be reached with the O-Train or OC Transpo.
What will the weather be like?
Steven Flisfeder, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, says the weather is expected to be bright and sunny for the weekend, with no air quality concerns.
“It’s not likely that there will be a heat warning in place at any point this weekend,” he said. “But, the forecasts can and will change over the coming days as we approach the weekend, so something to monitor on a daily basis.”
Environment Canada is reporting an
anticipated high temperature of 31 C on Sunday
.
Given the gruelling nature of the race, Flisfeder says it’s hard to give well-trained athletes the same health advice the general public receives, which is usually to limit the amount of time outdoors and to avoid strenuous activity.
“All those checkpoints where they’re able to grab some water, it’s going to be really important for them to do so,” Flisfeder said. “The sun can have an effect, even if the temperatures aren’t as elevated as they would be for a heat warning … It can be something that risks heat-related illness.”
That advice also extends to spectators, who should monitor how they’re feeling while spending time outdoors for IRONMAN activities.
How to watch the race or cheer on competitors?
There will be cheering zones reserved for fans looking to catch glimpses of the triathlon along the route and spectators can head to the Parliament Hill area to catch the last stretch of the race.
The public can also visit Major’s Hill Park to see the athletes transition from biking to running.
The IRONMAN Village, which acts as a central location for athletes such as check-in and race briefs, will also be located at Confederation Park and is open to the public.
“People are also welcome to go everywhere along the course of IRONMAN to just cheer on the athletes,” Miousse said.
There will also be plenty of other sporting events occurring this weekend, including an international women’s rugby match between Canada and the United States at TD Place starting at 7 p.m. on Aug. 1.
Sutcliffe says he will be cheering people on and participating in events throughout race day and will help hold up the tape for the winner to break through at the finish line. “It takes a lot of time to train for an IRONMAN, which is what’s so impressive about all the athletes who are doing it,” he said.
Where else has the event been held in Canada?
For many years the IRONMAN-Canada event was mostly held in Penticton, B.C., known for its location between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake.
Penticton was the first Canadian city to host the IRONMAN triathlon, starting in the 1980s and running through 2024. The triathlon relocated briefly in 2013 to Whistler before returning to Penticton in 2019. The 2020 and 2021 races were cancelled because of the pandemic, and there was another cancellation in 2023 because of wildfires.
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