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SwimRun Challenge draws dozens to Kivi Park

First event of its kind in Ontario held in Sudbury

With 47 registered participants for the first-ever SwimRun Challenge at Kivi Park, the event's organizer is optimistic it will only grow from here.

Ian Feldman, race director and owner of Canaqua Sports, said he brought the first SwimRun Challenge to Sudbury because he's received a great deal of support. His technical director, Buddy Green, lives in Sudbury and was responsible for setting up the course.

It's a 17-km course consist of alternating swim and run distances for participants to complete over a variety of terrain throughout Kivi Park, including Crowley Lake. The course included 3.6 kilometres of swimming, split up into three 1.2-km legs, combined with running, with stretches ranging from 1.5 km to 4.2 km, Feldman said.

The No. 1 rule for all racers was, whatever equipment they started with, they have to finish with. That includes all swimming aides like swim fins, goggles and floats, even the swim caps issued to each participants when they registered. Dropping any of the items along the way means disqualification, he said.

“This type of race is huge in Europe,” Feldman said. “There was nothing like this here. A friend of mine introduced me to it two years ago, and I thought it was one of the coolest things I've seen in the world.”

The race format has been modified from the European races, he said.

“There, they race over much rougher country. It's a nice alternative for triathletes who don't necessarily want to do the biking any more, or for those who don't have a bike.”

The Sudbury race is “very much a test event,” he said, with hopes of launching more races next year. Kivi Park set the scene for the first race of its kind in Ontario, and the second in Canada.

“Kivi Park is amazing,” Feldman said. “They said they would love to have us here, and they've gone well out of their way to make this happen. It's probably one of the most incredible settings I've ever seen. The Sudbury race, which will be our signature event, will remain at Kivi Park for as long as they'll have us.”
 


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Arron Pickard

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