A triathlon set for August that goes through Central Saanich has been cancelled, with organizers saying requirements for flaggers in the wake of a cyclist’s death last year make it financially prohibitive.
The Elk Lake Triathlon, run by Dynamic Race Events, was set to take place Aug. 3, but the group said this week that the cost of the flagging required under district regulations would increase by $30,000 to $35,000 — more than it can afford.
Angie Woodhead, owner and organizer at Dynamic Race Events, said the increased safety measures include the need for certified traffic-control personnel at each intersection, whether or not cyclists have the right of way.
She said her races have always required trained, paid flaggers at intersections where traffic requires control, but not where cyclists have the right of way and vehicles are expected to respect that.
Cyclist Lindsay Burgess was killed in October while riding in the Tripleshot CrossFondo race after a collision with a vehicle at an intersection in Central Saanich that was staffed by a race marshal. Such volunteers are only allowed to direct athletes, not traffic, and are not trained or certified.
Woodhead said the new requirements “came out of nowhere” two weeks after she had spoken with Central Saanich officials in May about race safety. She said she thought the process of planning would be more collaborative.
“We simply don’t have the means or capacity to come up with the funds that would be required to make something like this happen seven weeks before our event day.”
Dale Puskas, director of engineering at the District of Central Saanich, said the official race permitting process hasn’t changed, but his team has been “placing greater emphasis” on enforcing existing requirements in response to safety and operational concerns.
He said the district has been careful to ensure race organizers submit certified traffic management plans and “certified traffic control personnel where required,” adding that these measures were necessary after resident complaints and instances where police had to step in during races.
Tom Bamford, organizer of the Victoria Half, a triathlon set to take place at Elk Lake on July 13, said he’s had to cut back his cycling course significantly to be in compliance with the district’s rules.
He said he’s always worked to ensure his races are safe, noting that he feels the district’s requirements were created without adequate consultation with organizers.
Bamford said triathlons draw tourism revenue and publicity to the region. “We’re grassroots events which bring spark and interest to the community.”
Batu Kaya, who won the Elk Lake Triathlon in 2022, called the cancellation “devastating” for athletes, adding that he felt the race already emphasized rider safety and adequate flagging.
Kaya said he worked at the event last year and was looking forward to helping out this year, saying it has “huge sentimental value” for him and his peers because of its popularity among seasoned triathletes and newcomers to the sport.
Woodhead said she is hopeful that a balance between safety and financial feasibility will be found for the event to continue next year. “It’s about finding solutions that uphold safety without unintentionally sidelining community events that help keep the province active and connected.”
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