Billy Loutit Triathlon organizers are citing two major construction projects for the cancellation of the adult portion of the race for the first time in its 16 year history.
Both the adult triathlon and duathlon scheduled for July 22 are cancelled, with plans to bring them back for 2019, according to an announcement posted on the triathlon website June 13. The cancellation was due to logistical and safety concerns caused by the Town of Athabasca's 49 Street reconstruction and Alberta Transportation's construction work for the Highway 2 and University Drive intersection.
Francis said both construction projects in areas of the triathlon route posed logistical challenges that would have resulted in safety risks to route around.
"From an athlete safety point, we looked at both construction projects, both of which would raise concerns," Francis said. "Our feeling was these would have enough significant logistics that it would make it unsafe."
There were a lack of good options to change the route to one of the other sides of town to avoid the construction, Francis said. He added the other options for paved routes for the triathlon — along Highway 2 south of town or Highway 55 along the east side of town — would have both been problematic due to busy intersections and busy stretches of highway.
There was a chance a paved path may have been open through the Highway 2 and University Drive intersection for the original July 22 date, Francis said, as the dates for the Alberta Transportation construction there are not yet set.
But race organizers did not want to risk having to cancel the race a week in advance if that did not work out, Francis said.
"We may have been in a situation where you're cancelling a week ahead of time and you've done significant fundraising, donations from businesses, significant number of athletes travelling and making arrangements," Francis said.
Changing the date of the race was also explored, but Francis said clashes with other provincial triathlon dates and the length of construction would have pushed the next possible date to September.
"Picking the date is done very pragmatically around when other events are," Francis said. "You'd be looking at moving it to September, which poses a whole bunch of other logistical challenges. So we just thought at this point, considering all of the factors, it would be a postponement."
However, despite the adult triathlon cancellation, Francis said the Kids of Steel Triathlon would go ahead July 21, as the route for the kids race does not go through any construction areas.
"The kids triathlon is contained," Francis said. "The construction does not interfere with their triathlon."
Organizing committee stretched thin
During a town strategic workshop May 9, Francis said the triathlon planning committee were stretched as volunteers, resulting in there being a 50-50 chance of the triathlon being cancelled.
Francis said the stretched committee did play a factor in the cancellation and the committee needs new volunteers to fill positions. He added that he himself would like to step back from the role of race director, as other obligations would have prevented him from attending this year's adult triathlon.
However, he added a lack of new committee members is a factor every year and the race would have still been cancelled even if he could have attended July 22.
"Is it a factor? Absolutely. But it's a factor every single year. We have a very small committee, some of us have been there for a long time," Francis said.
Bud Ottosen won the 2016 LC Spirit Award for embodying the spirit of the triathlon and said he helped organize the race over its first 10 years.
He said he is disappointed to see the adult race be cancelled, which did not occur when he was involved in organizing it.
"There was the odd time where we had bumps we had to overcome," Ottosen said. "If you think the event is worthwhile, you figure out ways."
The event is important to the community to get people active, he added.
"It's one little way we can address an issue which is fairly important, and that is the health of the people in this community," Ottosen said. "An event which kind of gave people a goal and really did motivate a lot of people to get out."
Francis said the triathlon cancellation is just part of the reality of using public roads for a race.
" We have to deal with the reality of other events in the community, we have to deal with the reality of construction. At the end of the day I'm very comfortable making the recommendation," Francis said. "It is about athlete safety."
