IRONMAN 70.3 VICTORIA BRITISH COLOMBIA

USPA NEWS - Set at the eastern end of Vancouver Island just outside the Provincial Capital of British Columbia, IRONMAN 70.3 Victoria will mark its 21st year in existence as a half-distance race. It's a classic event in one of the heartlands of triathlon in Canada.

One of the best parts of IRONMAN racing is traveling to new destinations. With this in mind, British Columbia has an incredible amount to offer. Most athletes heading to the race near Victoria will come through the city of Vancouver; if you're one of them, make sure to hit up a few last-minute training options such as a swim in Kits Pool or a few "park laps" around Stanley Park downtown.It's best not to take on too much during the days leading up to the race, but thankfully, the area around Victoria has lots to offer without requiring travel far off course. The city itself has wonderful heritage architecture, including the B.C. Parliament Buildings and Craigdarroch Castle. Downtown Victoria is alive with restaurants and bars around the beautiful harbor. Butchart Gardens to the north of the Saanich Peninsula offers an unparalleled setting in which to stretch your legs. Founded in the early 20th century, the gardens are regularly rated among the most beautiful in the world. If you're feeling decadent, treat yourself to afternoon tea in The Dining Room. Carrying on the outdoor theme, Beacon Hill Park in the southern part of Victoria is the perfect location for a final pre-race run through the maze of trees, ponds, and bridges. Soon enough it will be time to get a good night's sleep and get down to business. Race morning in Victoria starts early, with the pros hitting the water at 6:00 a.m. and age-groupers just a few minutes later.The race itself has a wonderfully simple course which makes the most of the natural setting. The swim is a single loop in Beaver Lake. The water is clean and calm“”this is a training location for the Canadian rowing team“”but still cool enough to allow for a wetsuit-legal swim. Exiting the water, it´s a short run to transition and out of the park onto the bike course. The ride is also a single lap, providing a tour of the Saanich Peninsula with views of Haro Straight and the Coastal Mountains. IRONMAN 70.3 Victoria is well known for having one of the best run courses on the circuit, with two loops of Elk Lake on compacted dirt and gravel paths.

In an interview athlete Anthony Di Mauro explains the race from his point of view. First race of the season and first race with my new team "TriBike Transport". Pre race photo shoot and sponsor meetings kept me busy but race day we were ready to rock. After racing all of 2016 with a nagging injury and all the physical therapy during winter I finally was pain free. Swim leg here is great, swim time 40'12". Bike leg is one of the most challenging I have experienced in a half iron. Lots of hills and steady climbing that summed up to almost 2900 feet of elevation gain. Down hill felt like on a rocket ship with highs of 45 mph. Bike time 2:46. The run leg came with great surprise as I was welcomed by a 100% trail run. I obviously didn't do my homework and recon so I just improvised as I am not used to trails and rough surfaces. Few climbs that challenged my pace but overall had a great run and no pain in the hip!! Finished the run in 1:46 pretty good pace considering the course. Total finish time 5:19 on a tough course is a considerable accomplishment for me especially coming back from such a long injury. Thanks to my coach Adam Zucco from #superfly and to my team and the sponsors that made this happen!