THE GREATEST RACE

Celebrating 30 Years of the Wasa Lake Tri athlon

Three sports, three decades, and one close-knit community: the Wasa Triathlon brings both elite athletes and fun-seeking families to Wasa Provincial Park on the second weekend in June. In 2023, the iconic Kootenay race is celebrating its 30th year.

What began as the Rocky Mountain Triathlon in 1993 has evolved over the decades. For the first many years, the event was held at the Main Beach of Wasa Lake, before moving to the lake’s Horseshoe Bay more recently.

The event is run by a small, core committee of locals, who call on a team of volunteers to help make the event run smoothly. “There’s a lot that has to happen and a lot that needs to be put into place for a successful event,” explains Barb Fode, the event’s race director.

Fode took over the role at the end of 2019, opening up registration in the fall for the following year’s race — just in time for world events to, of course, dramatically change the circumstances for the triathlon’s next two years.

“We had to cancel in 2020,” she says. “We were struggling.” The following year, in 2021, they weren’t sure what the event would look like, so they ended up postponing the race to the August long weekend, instead of its usual place on the calendar in early June.

Because other races across Western Canada were cancelled due to Covid, “we were one of the only few that went ahead in 2021,” Fode explains. “We drew in people from other areas who usually had closer events. Sadly, though, due to the combination of the ongoing pandemic and that summer’s fierce forest fires, not all registrants showed up.”

Unlike other triathlons and races, which are often held in bustling cities, one of the Wasa Lake Triathlon’s many attractions is its location in a gorgeous provincial park: sunlight filters through lush pine groves and glints of the warm lake water; eagles soar overhead.

This stunning spot often encourages the visiting families to extend their stay for the week thanks to fantastic camping options and to plan more family trips to the area in the months and years to come, to enjoy the breathtaking scenery in different seasons. It’s a place that draws people back. Many of the families have been coming to the triathlon for a decade or longer.

In 2022, the event saw lower registration numbers than the pre-pandemic era, but “we pulled off a fabulous event,” Fode says. “Many people commented on how great the weekend was and how well everything flowed.”

Even through the challenges, Fode and the rest of the committee remain inspired and committed, thanks to the sense of community they’ve cultivated and the dedication they feel to the sport. “We have a passion for triathlon,” Fode says happily.

The committee has even expanded the event in recent years. In addition to the kids’ triathlon on Saturday, before the standard race on Sunday, Fode and the team have also built in the Wasa Warrior Challenge: a sprint on Saturday that adults can do so they race two days in a row. The inclusion of Saturday’s sprint also helps out parents, who might each want a turn racing one day while the other is with the kids, then alternating the next day.

The event is incredibly family-friendly — the kids’ triathlon has been a part of the race since 2003 — and yet, at the same time, it attracts elite athletes from across Western Canada, some of whom even come with exceptional coaches. “We have a high standard and great quality for competitive athletes,” Fode explains. “But we’ve also created a warm, caring, and friendly atmosphere, so that everyone feels supported.”

One of the key players in creating this environment for the weekend is Steve King, an iconic race announcer who has been the voice of the Wasa Lake Triathlon for 15 years. He’s announced for many big events over the years, including Ironman Canada, yet “he remembers athletes by name years later and makes incredible connections,” Fode says. King’s familiar and gregarious presence adds to the race’s welcoming atmosphere, year after year.

For the triathletes who compete regularly and travel to various races, the Wasa Lake Triathlon, because of its early-season dates, “provides a gauge for where they’re at,” Fode explains, so they can shape their training program accordingly.

For other athletes, it’s a stepping stone. It might be their first race and ignites within them a passion for triathlon and the goal to aim for even longer, more challenging events in the future.

And for others still, it’s a low-stakes weekend of family fun, a good excuse to travel to the gorgeous East Kootenays with the kids and to play in the sunshine with an enthusiastic crowd.

“It’s about a personal goal,” Fode says, whatever that may look like for the individual. Regardless of their motivation, one thing any participant will agree on is the joyful sense of community and connection that’s created on the shores of beautiful Wasa Lake.

This fantastic event can only happen with the teamwork of volunteers, and the crew is still seeking to fill those spots this year. The Wasa Lake Triathlon would love to welcome you and your family in 2023. You’re welcome to register as either a volunteer or a competitor, by heading to www.rmevents.com.