The Canadian stop on the Ironman circuit, previously held in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, will move to the national capital on August 3, 2025.
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One of the toughest sporting competitions in the world will be held in Ottawa in August 2025.
The Ironman, an endurance and physical fitness test organized by the World Triathlon Corporation, is a race that includes 3.8 kilometers of swimming followed by 180.2 kilometers of cycling and 42.2 kilometers of running.
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The August 3, 2025 event effectively replaces what had been an annual Canadian stop on the Ironman circuit in Mont-Tremblant, Que.
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Mont-Tremblant had hosted the event since 2012, including the 2014 world championship, but the 2023 race was the last. With more than 5,000 competitors and spectators on site, it became too big for the resort town two hours northwest of Montreal.
Tremblant’s loss is Ottawa’s gain.
“Ottawa offers the quintessential Canadian racing environment with an abundance of outdoor activities, great weather and a mosaic of culture, all located in the same seat of government,” said Ironman Group Vice President Keats McGonigal in a announced on Tuesday.
“Ironman Canada has played a prominent role in the history of Ironman and will continue to expand to Ottawa.”
The race will begin with athletes swimming two laps of a 1.9 kilometer course at Britannia Beach. From there, they will get on their bicycles and complete 2.75 circuits of a cycling tour on the avenues of the National Capital Commission, which will be closed for the event.
The race will conclude with a marathon race starting on Parliament Hill and taking in a course through downtown streets and the Rideau Canal.
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Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, an avid marathon runner, sold the city’s virtues to the Ironman community.
“It’s an absolutely stunning and beautiful place to swim, bike and run,” Sutcliffe said. “It is also the perfect location for outdoor adventures and world-class events, especially an event as prestigious as Ironman Canada.”
The first official Ironman event took place in Hawaii in 1978, starting a global boom in the sport.
The men’s world record is held by Kristian Blummenfelt, who completed the 2021 course in Cozumel, Mexico, in seven hours, 12 minutes and 12 seconds. The best female time was set by German Laura Philipp, who finished the 2022 Hamburg circuit in 8:18:20.
Canadian records were set by Lionel Sanders (7:43:30) and Jen Annett (8:49:27).
Triathlon became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney Games, with shorter distances: 1.5 kilometers of swimming, 40 kilometers of cycling and 10 kilometers of running.
After Canada’s Simon Whitfield captured the gold medal with a thrilling finish, triathlon participation numbers increased significantly in the country. Triathlon Canada estimates that more than 47,000 Canadians completed triathlons last year.
X: Citizenkwarren
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