IRONMAN Canada

Information for Residents

In August 2022, the legend returned to Penticton. Take a look back at this photo gallery of images of fans, supporters and volunteers. Stay tuned for information about next year's event, scheduled for Aug. 27, 2023.

Event Communications Survey

The City of Penticton is getting ready for the upcoming event seasons and wants to know if you had the information and involvement you needed last year. Click the link to fill out a short survey to help us shape our communications for this year's event.

Fill out the Major Events Communications Survey

About IRONMAN Canada 2022

This page provides information about how to get involved, where to cheer on the athletes and how to navigate road closures. Let’s give the athletes and their supporters a warm welcome – and enjoy the entertainment!

It’s been many years since Penticton has hosted an event of this scale. It will have a big impact on getting around the city – especially on the day of the event. Allow extra time!
Here are some tips to help:
- Do your shopping and errands in advance.
- Expect delays. Allow extra time if you need to go across town.
- Flying out that day? Allow extra time to get to the airport.
- Heading to church? Be aware there wil be delays crossing Main Street (the best times to cross Main Street are between 9:45-11:30 a.m.)
- Catching the bus? Note the changes to the BC Transit bus schedule.
- Plan ahead. Know what roads are closed and where you can cross Main St.
- Participate in the fun. Get your fan kit and plan to cheer on local athletes.
- Make a day of it with the family! There is nothing more inspirational than watching the athletes cross the finish line and hearing their stories.
- Be patient and kind with athletes, volunteers, fans and event organizers. They are all doing their best to make it a great event.
It’s been many years since Penticton has hosted an event of this scale. It will have a big impact on getting around the city – especially on the day of the event: Sunday, Aug. 28. Allow extra time!
- Are you expecting deliveries on Sunday, Aug. 28? Due to extensive road closures on that day, review the materials on this webpage and plan ahead accordingly.
- Is your business located along the road closure route? Notify your customers in advance about the potential disruption to access your business. They may wish to complete their shopping in advance or on another day.
- Expect delays on the roads.
Thank you for your patience!
Download this poster to print and display on-site at your business

Race Routes & Road Closures

Be aware that road closures will cause significant delays on race day, Sunday, Aug. 28, including along Lakeshore Drive, Main Street and Skaha Lake Road. Motorists are advised to use Channel Parkway wherever possible. Many of the closures start at 4 a.m. Sunday and run until 1 a.m. the next morning. A full list of closures, plus charts and maps, is listed below.

Anyone planning to head downtown is encouraged to walk, ride bikes or take public transit wherever possible, since parking access will be limited. A map of downtown public parking lots can be found on our Parking page. For updates involving BC Transit, visit bctransit.com.

Road Closures Chart

The following are the planned road closures. The times are estimated. If you plan to drive around the city on race day, be aware that road closures will create delays along the bike and route routes. Motorists are advised to use Channel Parkway wherever possible.

Wednesday, Aug. 24-Monday, Aug. 29	Between	Time Closed	Re-Open (estimate)	Impacts
Lakeshore Dr	Winnipeg St and Martin St	6 am	10 am	Closed for IRONMAN event setup. No parking on Lakeshore Dr within the road closure.

Saturday, Aug. 27	Between	Time Closed	Re-Open (estimate)	Impacts
Lakeshore Dr	Winnipeg St and Riverside Dr	7 am	10:30 am	Closed for IRONKIDS event. No parking on Lakeshore Drive until 11 a.m.

Sunday, Aug. 28	Between	Time Closed	Re-Open (estimate)	Impacts
Lakeshore Dr	Front St and Riverside Dr	4 am	1 am -Aug. 29	Access to Lakeside Resort and Pier Watersports from Veterans Way on Front St
Burnaby Ave	Riverside Dr to Westminster Ave W	12:30 pm	Midnight
Winnipeg St	Lakeshore Dr and Westminster Ave	4 am	1 am – Aug. 29	Access to properties will be provided from Churchill Ave
Martin St	Lakeshore Dr and Westminster Ave	4 am	1 am – Aug. 29
Vancouver Ave W	Lakeshore Dr and Grandview Ave	11:30 am	7:30 pm	Access to the north side will be limited. Local access only. Detours will be available.
Vancouver Place		11:30 am	7:30 pm	Access restricted to local residents only during the event.
Main St and Skaha Lake Rd	From Skaha Lake North of Lee Ave to Main Street	4 am	1 am – Aug. 29	Resident access to properties without rear or alley access will be communicated in advance of the race.
Skaha Lake Road	Channel Parkway to Kinney Ave	4 am	Midnight	Resident access only. Detour via Channel Parkway.
Lee Avenue	Skaha Lake Rd to South Main St	4 am	10:30 am
East Side Road / McLean Creek Road	Southbound lane closure	4 am	UPDATED: 12 noon* (*to be confirmed)	Southbound lane will be closed during the outgoing bike segment. Local access only.

How do I Cross Main Street?

Crossings are facilitated with RCMP and Traffic Control Personnel and lights on flash at:

Eckhardt Avenue
Duncan Avenue
Green Avenue
Yorkton Avenue
Industrial Avenue
Warren Avenue

Be aware that the best time to cross Main Street on Sunday is between 9:45-11:30 a.m. However, avoid crossing Main Street between 1-5 p.m.

Be aware that the best time to cross Main Street on Sunday is between 9:45-11:30 a.m. However, avoid crossing Main Street between 1-5 p.m.
Here are some tips to help:
- Do your shopping and errands in advance.
- Expect delays. Allow extra time if you need to go across town.
- Flying out that day? Allow extra time to get to the airport.
- Going to church? Plan ahead (the best times to cross Main Street include from 9:45-11:30 a.m.)
- Taking the bus? Note the changes to the BC Transit bus schedule.
- Plan ahead. Know what roads are closed and where you can cross Main St.
- Participate in the fun. Get your fan kit and plan to cheer on local athletes.
- Make a day of it with the family! There is nothing more inspirational than watching the athletes cross the finish line and hearing their stories.
- Be patient and kind with athletes, volunteers, fans and event organizers. They are all doing their best to make it a great event.
Tips for local businesses:
- Are you expecting deliveries on Sunday, Aug. 28? Due to extensive road closures on that day, review the materials on this webpage and plan ahead accordingly.
- Is your business located along the road closure route? Notify your customers in advance about the potential disruption to access your business. They may wish to complete their shopping in advance or on another day.
- Expect delays on the roads.
Thank you for your patience!
Download this poster to print and display on-site at your business
Crossings are facilitated with RCMP and Traffic Control Personnel and lights on flash at:
- Eckhardt Avenue
- Duncan Avenue
- Green Avenue
- Yorkton Avenue
- Industrial Avenue
- Warren Avenue
Be aware that the best time to cross Main Street on Sunday is between 9:45-11:30 a.m. However, avoid crossing Main Street between 1-5 p.m.
During the event, the following Sunday routes will be impacted by the ride and its associated lane closures:
- Route 5 – Main Street (Main Street, Skaha Lake Rd
- Route 16 – Lake to Lake Sunday Service (Lakeshore Drive, Riverside Drive, Government Street, South Main Street)
View the BC Transit statement for the latest updates

Pick Up Your Free Fan Kit!

Let’s line the streets and show our support! Visit the City's booth at the Penticton Farmers’ Market to pick up your free fan kit on Saturday, Aug. 27.

Fan kit

- Street chalk (while supplies last): Kids, let’s draw your messages for the athletes along both the Subaru IRONKIDS and Subaru IRONMAN Canada routes!
- Fan signs: Wave the signs on the race days or display them on your lawn.
- Love Local tattoos and City of Penticton stickers: Show your community spirit.
We also have Love Local beach balls and Picnic-ton drink koozies to give away, while supplies last!

How to Get Involved

IRONMAN Canada brings thousands of people to the community, adding a buzz in the air that’s undeniable. It’s an opportunity that few cities ever experience, so mark the events down in your calendar – particularly race day on Sunday, Aug. 28 – and get outdoors for a front-row seat of the action. Here are some ways you get involved.

Residents are encouraged to join in the fun. Here are some ways to get involved:
- Check out IRONMAN Village (open daily to the public, with hours of operation listed in the Spectator Guide) at Rotary Park.
- Volunteer! Already, more than 1,000 people have signed up, and they're still looking for people to do water shifts on standup paddleboards and kayaks, plus other positions.
- Watch the welcome ceremony (Friday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m.) at Gyro Park.
- Cheer on the Subaru IRONKIDS Fun Run (Saturday, Aug. 27 at 9 a.m.) . Registration is available on their website.
- Cheer on the IRONMAN athletes along the route on Sunday, starting with the swimmers at Rotary Beach at 6:30 a.m., cyclists streaming down Main Street, and runners finishing at Lakeshore Drive up until midnight.
- Watch the award ceremony (Monday, Aug. 29 at 11 a.m.) at Gyro Park.
Visit the Subaru IRONMAN Canada website for event details

IRONMAN Canada mural revealed

The City has unveiled a new IRONMAN Canada outdoor mural near Okanagan Lake, created by Jomae Arts. The artwork is now displayed on the west wall of the building at 185 Lakeshore Drive, which faces the triathlon event’s historic swim start.

Mural

‘Movement & Motion’ is a digital painting created by Jomae, a muralist duo based in the Okanagan. The work features the components of IRONMAN Canada (swim, bike, run and volunteerism), influenced by the feat of training for and competing in a triathlon. From the very beginning of the swim start, all the way to the cheering finish line, the mural is a celebration of the accomplishment and perseverance of IRONMAN Athletes.
A panel of judges selected the final design after a callout for submissions was issued earlier this year. The project was funded in part by the Province of B.C.
Read the news release

Welcome Back!

Welcome back, athletes and supporters! This year, the iconic event returns to Penticton on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022. For event information, visit the IRONMAN Canada-Penticton webpage.

About IRONMAN Canada in Penticton

In 1983, the first North American IRONMAN was born – right here in Penticton – and that race changed the IRONMAN triathlon community forever. Penticton is now known as one of the world’s premier triathlon host communities – and a bucket list destination for IRONMAN athletes all over the world.

This year, for the first time since 2012, the iconic event returns to Penticton. The race will follow the traditional single-loop course with a 3.8-kilometre swim in Okanagan Lake, a 180-km bike ride through Osoyoos and Keremeos, followed by a 42.2-km run to finish along Lakeshore Drive in downtown Penticton.

Visit the IRONMAN Canada-Penticton official webpage