From Wasa Lake to World Championships

Hi! My name is Shelby Lehmann and I am a 19-year-old triathlete from Cranbrook, BC.

My sport background is in swimming: I started competitive swimming with the Cranbrook Triton Swim Club when I was 8 and competed until I was 18.

Every summer, I always did the Wasa Lake Triathlon for fun, but never really trained for it until 2018 when I decided I wanted to go to the BC Games for triathlon. It was there that I discovered my passion for triathlon and decided I wanted to start biking and running training in addition to my competitive swimming.

In 2020, during the pandemic, I decided I wanted to do an Ironman, but I wasn’t sure how or when I would. In August 2021, I met my coach and started taking triathlon much more seriously, with the goal of doing the Ironman the following year.

Summer 2022 was my first experience competing in a long-distance triathlon, and I absolutely loved it! I raced a 70.3, the PTO in Edmonton that was 100K, the Wasa Lake Triathlon Sprint, and, of course, an Ironman!

My first Ironman was in Penticton, and I was the youngest competitor at 18 years old. I went in just under my 12-hour goal with a time of 11:58. The best part was winning my age group and getting my spot for the 2023 Ironman World Championships!

This year I have even bigger goals. I’m competing in two full Ironmans — in Coeur d’Alene in June and the world championships in Kona in October. My goal is to get into the top five in my age group in Kona.

And, of course, like every year, I always look forward to competing in Wasa — my hometown race! I’ve loved it since I was a little kid, and I love supporting a local event. I’m so excited to see what the 2023 season will bring!”

Our Home Is Our Playground

Longer days, sunglasses and the smell of fresh trails under our feet. Let’s Go! Warmer days mean endless outdoor possibilities and we’re not going to waste a minute of it. Purcell Outdoors has the gear to keep you moving forward and help you let the good times roll!