Media Releases
Friday, October 12, 2012
Whistler wins Ironman Canada bid; five-year agreement begins in 2013
Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler media release
For immediate release - October 12, 2012
Whistler wins Ironman Canada
bid; five-year agreement begins in 2013
Whistler, B.C. -- Whistler has been added to the Ironman
roster, winning the bid to host a Canadian event for five years, beginning
in 2013.
The World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) announced October
11 that Whistler is the successful bid in the competition to host
Ironman Canada, beating out Kelowna, B.C. and Huntsville, Ontario.
“We are thrilled with the announcement by the World Triathlon
Corporation,” said Whistler Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden. “Hosting this event
will build on our resort community’s reputation as a world class destination
for hosting world class events, and present significant economic
opportunities for the resort community.”
The bid submission was made last month by the Whistler Organizing
Committee, comprised of Tourism Whistler and the Resort Municipality of
Whistler (RMOW). In early October, the WTC, owner and organizer of Ironman
and Ironman 70.3 branded-events, announced that Whistler had made the
shortlist, along with Kelowna, B.C. and Huntsville, Ontario. The winning
bid was confirmed yesterday.
“We are delighted by the World Triathlon Corporation’s decision to award
the Ironman Canada event to Whistler,” said Barrett Fisher, Tourism
Whistler President & CEO. “Whistler has an international reputation for
producing high-calibre, world-class events. The resort’s natural assets and
our experience hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will
allow us to support an exceptional Ironman event.”
The memorandum of understanding sees Whistler hosting the Ironman Canada
event for five years, beginning in 2013. The inaugural Whistler event would
take place August 21-26 (event day August 25) in 2013, followed by July
23-28 (event day July 27) in 2014, July 22-27 (event day July 26) in 2015,
July 20-25 (event day July 24) in 2016 and July 26-31 (event day July 30) in
2017.
“Whistler is recognized worldwide as a sought-after travel and outdoor
recreation destination. As the new host community of Ironman Canada,
Whistler will immediately earn a reputation as a triathlon destination,”
said Steve Meckfessel, Managing Director of Global Race Operations for WTC,
in their media release issued yesterday. “With its accessibility to
major west coast markets, stunning beauty and tourism infrastructure,
Whistler will resonate with our athletes, their families and fans of
Ironman.”
The successful bid was the result of a collaborative effort between
Tourism Whistler and the RMOW, as the Whistler Organizing Committee, along
with resort partners and neighbouring communities.
“Sport tourism is becoming an increasingly important industry for the
resort and by attracting such renowned events as Ironman, we are cementing
Whistler’s reputation as the ultimate sport event destination,” added
Fisher.
“Hosting the Ironman Canada will showcase our community’s assets and
present new opportunities for our community,” said Wilhelm-Morden. “We are
committed to working closely with the World Triathlon Corporation both to
maximize participants’ experience in the event, and to minimize the impact
on the day-to-day operation of the resort. We hope that our community will
fully embrace this event to add to its success.”
The Whistler Organizing Committee, in its submission to the WTC,
outlined six significant advantages of a Whistler location including:
• unrivalled natural beauty and iconic landmarks with a unique Western
Canadian route
• brand alignment, with two world-class brands (Whistler and Ironman)
working together to provide an unprecedented opportunity to leverage the
local, regional, national and international profiles of both
• partnership experience in delivering major sporting events
• appeal for new and returning Ironman competitors, as the number one
year-round mountain resort in North America
• an enhanced athlete experience in a community renowned for its safe,
friendly and welcoming atmosphere
• proximity to an international airport in a major urban setting
As the host city for Ironman Canada, Whistler stands to benefit
significantly in terms of economic impact. In order to secure the event,
the initial race will be held in August, moving to July, a period of
greater need, from 2014-2017.
The Whistler Organizing Committee works in collaboration with resort
partners including Whistler Sport Legacies, Whistler Blackcomb, Whistler
Arts Council, the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre and the Whistler Chamber
of Commerce, as well as the neighbouring stakeholders of the Village of
Pemberton and the Squamish Lillooet Regional District.
Over the coming weeks and months, there will be a series of site visits
from the WTC and planning meetings with the local organizing committee.
An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile (3.86 kilometre) swim, a
112-mile (180.25 kilometre) bicycle ride and a full marathon (26.2 miles or
42.3 kilometres). WTC currently owns, operates or produces more than 90
Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events worldwide each year. Each year, more than
90,000 athletes compete in Ironman events worldwide for positions in the
Ironman and 70.3 championships. Most Ironman events sell out in minutes.
Ironman Canada, formerly hosted in Penticton, B.C., has been part of the
Ironman global calendar for the past 30 years. Event organizers anticipate that
the Ironman Canada Whistler event will draw more than 2,000 endurance
athletes plus thousands of spectators for multiple days each year.
-30-
Whistler is Canada's premier year-round leisure and meeting
destination located in the Coast Mountains 120 kilometres (75 miles) north
of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Consistently rated the top ski
resort in North America, Whistler was the Host Mountain Resort of the 2010
Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The resort offers an extensive range
of accommodations totaling 10,000 bedrooms among 24 hotels as well as
townhomes, condos, B&Bs and chalets. Whistler also boasts more than 100
restaurants and bars, 200 retail shops, 25 spas and countless activity
options from world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and
golf, to hiking, rock climbing, and watersports. The Resort Municipality of
Whistler is home to a diverse community of more than 10,000 permanent
residents.
Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization
representing Whistler, operating the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler
Golf Club, Whistler Visitor Centre, as well as 1.800.WHISTLER and whistler.com
- Whistler's official source for visitor bookings and information. As
the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler,
Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and
operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels,
restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.
About the Resort
Municipality of Whistler
The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is Whistler’s local government
led by an elected council and administered by an executive team and staff
on behalf of 9,824 residents and two million annual visitors.
The RMOW manages municipal planning and development,
park and Village operations, sports facilities and recreation, public
utilities and environmental services, bylaws and enforcement, fire rescue,
fiscal planning and financial services, legislative services, human
resources, communications and the administration of the Whistler2020
Comprehensive Sustainability Plan and Whistler’s Official Community Plan.
The RMOW collaborates with in-resort and external partners to create
visitor experiences and enrich community life.
Whistler’s vision is to be the premier mountain
resort community as it moves toward sustainability. Whistler was the proud
Host Mountain Resort for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Media can visit whistler.com/media
for Whistler facts, media releases, story starters, local personality
profiles and access to images and B-roll.
Broadcasters: Whistler now has the capability to take you live with
our enhanced fibre network. The significantly expanded network of
more than 200 kilometres of fibre optic cabling throughout the resort
allows instant transmission of HD signals to any location at any
time. Details on how to access, and book the fibre are available on
our media site. http://media.whistler.com/contact-us/filming-in-whistler/Media
Media Contacts
Tourism Whistler
Patricia Westerholm
Manager, Corporate Communications
T: 604.938.2748
E: pwesterholm@tourismwhistler.com
W: www.whistler.com/media
T: www.twitter.com/mediaTWhistler
F: www.facebook.com/GoWhistler
Resort Municipality
of Whistler
RMOW Communications
T: 604.967.3030
E: communications@whistler.ca
W: www.whistler.ca
T: @RMWhistler
F: RMOW