New IM Canada race/location

Here is the email I rec'd this morning:

IRONMAN Volunteers and Athletes,

IRONMAN is saddened to confirm that Penticton, Canada, has chosen to not move forward as the host for the 2013 edition of IRONMAN® Canada. We hoped that IRONMAN Canada would continue in the City of Penticton, which has served as the host of the race for 30 years, and that the relationship between IRONMAN and the city would continue indefinitely.

As IRONMAN continues to finalize details, we would like to offer the following opportunity for 2012 IRONMAN Canada volunteers, as well as all athletes who have previously raced IRONMAN Canada:

IRONMAN is aggressively pursuing multiple options, as our goal is to have IRONMAN Canada in 2013. By clicking here, volunteers and athletes will be put on a preferred registration list for the new IRONMAN Canada, tentatively slated for late August/early September 2013. Please note: you must complete the entire process and click “submit” to confirm your place on the registration list. Access to this link is available for a limited period of time, between Aug. 25 at noon PT and Aug. 30 at midnight PT. The preferred list will give volunteers and athletes one week (in advance of general proposed registration) to sign up for the new IRONMAN Canada event. Additional race and registration details will be announced during the week of the 2012 IRONMAN World Championship, which takes place on Oct. 13.

IRONMAN is pursuing multiple unique venue options for the new IRONMAN Canada race and is excited to build upon the long-standing tradition of IRONMAN Canada as one of the most iconic races in the global IRONMAN Series. The new race, tentatively scheduled for late August/early September 2013, will feature double the amount of age group slots for the IRONMAN World Championship, an increase from 50 to 100 slots, as well as an increase in KPR points and prize money for professional athletes.

As an additional race option, general entry for IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant, IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene, and Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas is also still available. Visit http://www.ironman.com <http://www.ironman.com> to register.

Thank you for your continued support of IRONMAN, and we hope to see you at another IRONMAN race soon! If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

-- The IRONMAN team

I received that e-mail as well. Interesting to see WTC isn't letting go of having an Ironman Canada race. I'm very curious to see what locations they are considering or what venues contacted WTC wanting to host the race once they heard Penticton was out of the picture. Also interesting that they're going head-to-head with the new Challenge race, either on the same weekend or near it. The double Kona slot allocation is a pretty darn good carrot to get people to sign up.

Brad

Having raced Canada in 2010 I rec'd the same email.  I am saddened to see IM out of Penticton but I certainly like that WTC is now seeing they can't set all the rules.  They were being faulted for the drop in prize money and Kona slots in Canada and now suddenly they appear with more?  But from what new expanding IM race venue will they be taking them from?

I think the timing is right for a corporation that wants to produce an event that surpases "Ironman".  Greed has gotten the best of them and face it, saying you are an Ironman or have done an Ironman doesn't mean squat any longer.  At least runners don't say "You did a Marathon?  Wow I also did a Marathon 13.1"

Said corporation would do well if their logo could easily be completed by expanding the current IM logo.  Just thinking about the tatoo shops.