People planning on driving in Sooke while the Subaru International Triathlon is happening on Sunday, Aug. 7 may want to make alternate plans.
A 15 km portion of West Coast Road heading west past Jordan River will be blocked off, said Paul Regensburg, triathlon director at LifeSport.
“We’re looking at closing the road from the intersection (of Otter Point Road and West Coast Road),” he said.
The long scenic stretch will be shut down to westbound traffic from 7 until 10:30 a.m., and eastbound from 7 until 12 p.m. The closure is to accommodate the biking portion of the competition.
The closure is new to this year’s event and is part of the route change that was approved late last Monday by the Ministry of Transportation. The change was spurred by the district’s success in bringing television coverage for the event.
“With TSN coming to produce a show, there was a strong push to showcase West Coast Road and the Pacific Marine Circle Route.”
The PMCR consists of travelling on West Coast Road through Port Renfrew to Cowichan Lake and back down to Victoria, and provides viewers with ample shots of the diverse natural environment that the region has to offer, said Regensburg.
The revised triathlon route will see:
• Triathletes swimming across Young Lake and get on their bikes at the first transition point at Camp Barnard.
• They will then then ride along Otter Point Road, turn onto West Coast Road and then past Jordan River, turn around and come back to the second transition point at John Phillips Memorial Park.
• From there they will shed their bikes and run along Otter Point Road turning right on Grant Road and down Gatewood trail, come out along West Coast Road on the sidewalk and run to the tip of Whiffin Spit where they will return to the finish line at the park.
Routes vary slightly depending on the competition bracket -- Sprint participants perform a 500 metre swim, 20 km bike ride and 5 km run; Olympic: 1500 metre/20 km/ 5 km; Half-Iron 1900 metre/90 km/21 km.
The decision to shut down traffic was to improve safety conditions that were lacking in previous years. Bikers had to coexist with traffic and other bikers as they looped around them.
“As the race grows, that course just wasn’t feasible anymore,” said Regensburg, who added that this year’s enrollment is up 25 per cent and still growing.
“We project it’s going to be 500 people.”
For more on road closures see page 28. Detailed race information including schedules can be found online at triseries.ca/sooke.
Please be advised that road closures on Otter Point and West Coast Roads will take place on August 7th in order to accommodate the Subaru Sooke
International Triathlon and filming of the event for a television production that will air nationally on TSN. This will impede the movement of traffic along these roads so please plan accordingly.
• Otter Point Road from Grant Road to Rhodonite Road: 7am - 3pm
*Access to Mulligan’s at Grant Rd.
• Otter Point Road (westbound lane) from Young Lake Road to West Coast Road (westerly intersection) + Young Lake Road: 7:00am to 10:30am.
* Local residents use Kemp Lake Road for Access
• West Coast Road (westbound lane) from Otter Point Road (westerly ntersection) to approximately 15 km west of Jordan River: 7:00am - 10:30am
• West Coast Road (eastbound lane) from approximately 15 km west of Jordan River to Otter Point Road (westerly intersection) : 7:00am - 12 noon
• Otter Point Road (eastbound lane) from West Coast Road (westerly intersection) to Rhodonite Road: 7:00am - 12:15pm
• Local residents use Kemp Lake Road for Access
• All side streets within the closure areas will be closed. Expect delays and plan ahead.
• Please obey all signage and follow directions from traffic control personnel.
• Provisions have been made for access of all emergency vehicles.
We apologize for any inconveniences and would appreciate if you could plan your day to minimize the use of these roads. Please come out to cheer on theparticipants or be a part of this exciting event as a volunteer by signing up at the Triathlon site through www.triseries.ca/volunteering.
For further information contact: 250-220-2259 or email atevents@triseries.ca