Overcast skies provided just the right amount of cloud cover to cool off participants who started the Squamish Triathlon, a memorial to Bob McIntosh, by diving into Alice Lake Sunday (July 8).
Hundreds of men, women and youth gathered to take on, as individuals or as relay teams, the Olympic distanced 1500-metre lake swim, 37-kilometer ride and 10-kilometer trail run.
Race organizer Peter Hotston called the event a tremendous success, while adding that he was "slightly disappointed" the race was 40 entries short of selling out, as it has done over the last four years. But 360 athletes came out to race nonetheless in near-perfect conditions.
The overall winner of the event, Peter Reid of Brackendale, has already seen his share of triumphs, with three world Ironman championships under his belt. "Having someone of his stature even do the event is terrific," said race organizer Peter Hotston.
Reid nailed down a time of 1:56:39 - beating the race record for the bike leg, and coming in one second shy of the overall race record.
The local athlete has been completing triathlons for almost two decades, but still said he didn't expect to finish the race in such good time.
"I was very surprised with my time," said Reid. "I have just started running again after almost two years off due to a run injury, so I was in shock that I could hold off a run specialist like Andrew Russell from the National Triathlon Training Center in Victoria."
He added that the only fitness training he'd taken on was a few swims at Brohm Lake and weekly SORCA Toonie bike races. In the three years he's lived here, Reid had not done the Squamish Triathlon, but he said it was important for him to participate.
"It was a great event," said Reid. "Everyone was laid back I never met Bob McIntosh but have heard so many great stories about his passion for sport. It was important for me to take part in the event this year to honour him. He is part of triathlon culture in B.C."
Anne-Marie Madden of Vancouver was the first woman to cross the line -11th overall - with a time of 2:13:22."It's a very good time for her and she raced very well," said Hotston.
Other Squamish athletes who crossed Sunday's finish line with notable times included Gord Addison who came sixteenth with a time of 2:16:17, and Ben Eksteen who secured a time of 2:20:19.
"We had great competitors and the volunteers were amazing," said Hotston.
Winning the relay category of the race was the mixed team The Incredibles - Vlasta Dusil, Louie Soane and Roger Shirt - who wrapped up with an (incredible) time of 2:12:14. Hot on their tails was the Brian Hughes Law Office team - another mixed team of youths that included Lauren Hughes, Hannah Vartanis and Kyle James - with a 2:19:09. Third place was the all-male group Team Carney, who secured a 2:20:05 with its members Rob McLeod, Mike Truelove and Jason Ross.
"[Relay racers] get together some very, very strong teams -a very strong swimmer, biker and runner," said Hotston. "But what's interesting is we've never had a relay team beat an individual. They're more focused on beating other teams."According to Hotson the only mishap of the day came when a rider crashed his bike and had to withdraw. He was not seriously injured.
All other competitors finished the race in good spirits and health.
