The Chamber of Commerce is happy to announce that we have been awarded a major grant through Canada 150 to host the Tri-Conic Challenge over Canada Day Weekend - 2017.
Our Event is considered a 'Staged Triathlon' meaning that the triathlon occurs over a period of time. The event is designed to showcase many features of the Alberni Valley including our unique historical assets such as the Martin Mars (for the swim), the MV Frances Barkley (the bike ride - to Bamfield) and the No. 7 Steam Train for the run. No other community ANYWHERE can boast of these assets all of which are fully operational. The Martin Mars is unique on the planet, the MV Frances Barkley is a very rare ship that you won't find in many communities and the Steam Train is one of only two in the Province and a handful across the Continent. Our athletes will swim around the Mars (hopefully - we aren't certain about its availability), they'll race the Barkley to Bamfield - yes on the Bamfield Road and then run vs. the Train to McLean Mill.
We'll have four different versions of each leg of the triathlon called Smolts (200m swim, 3000 m bike ride, 500m run), Sprints (500m swim, 16 k bike ride - China Creek, 10 k run - same as the No. 7 Challenge 2016), Challenge (2000m swim, 90km bike ride - Bamfield, 1/2 Marathon - McLean Mill and back to HQ), Iconic (4000m swim, 180 km bike ride - Bamfield return, 42.2 km marathon to the McLean Mill and back through the trail network).
The event will start with the Run on Canada Day - July 1, 2017. Next day is the Bike Race and things wrap up on Monday, July 3, 2017 with the Open Water Swim on Beautiful Sproat Lake home of the Martin Mars
Our athletes can pick and choose to design their own package including doing only one, two or all three events. If they wish to be a 'Smolt' in the Water, a Sprint on the bike and Iconic in the run - that's fine too! And, we'll welcome teams however teams will have to pick a specific category ie: Challenge. Watch our facebook page for ongoing updates.
