Challenge week underway in Penticton

PENTICTON – Challenge Penticton weekend is descending upon the city, and along with the main event on Sunday there are numerous other events that involve the whole family.

In addition to Challenge races for kids and casual participants, the Downtown Penticton Association will be hosting numerous activities and entertainment in Gyro Park on Friday, Aug. 28 and race day, Sunday, Aug. 30. Things begin with the Challenge Penticton athlete’s village opening tomorrow, August 27 at 5 p.m.

The Feed the Valley Five Kilometre Charity Run is also tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.

The Challenge Penticton Royal LePage Street Dance and Challenge Festival takes place on the 100 and 200 blocks of Main Street and Gyro Park, on Friday and Sunday. There will be live entertainment for Friday’s street dance and music, free family fun and games on Sunday.

Scheduled entertainment gets underway Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Gyro Park. The entertainment and activity schedule for Sunday starts at 11:30 a.m.

For complete details, see the Downtown Penticton Association website.

Challenge Kids races include:
– a 50 metre swim, one kilometre bike and 300 metre run for kids aged 6-7
– a 100 metre swim, two kilometre bike and 600 metre run for kids aged 8-9
– a 100 metre swim, three kilometre bike and 1.2 kilometre run for kids aged 10-11
A 500 metre open water swim is open to kids and adults, with no age limit, and on race day a 1,000 metre swim will be staged with an age minimum of 11, in addition to a 2,000 metre swim for 13 years and up. The open water swim starts at Rotary Park at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Check in for Challenge Kids Triathlons takes place Saturday at 6:30 a.m. in Rotary Park.
To sign up on line, or for further details, contact the Challenge Penticton website.

Challenge Penticton is still looking for volunteers for the race on Sunday. Volunteer Wendy Contant says traffic control, wetsuit strippers, finish line catchers, and bike lot crew volunteers are needed. Interested parties should see the Challenge Penticton website.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.