You may have arrived here looking for information on the 2017 Subaru EPIC Dartmouth Triathlon, perhaps excited to register or considering your race options for 2017. We are sorry to let you know that even though all the other events for the EPIC Weekend (Run events, Swim events, and Kids events) hit record numbers in 2016 (and are on track to do so again in 2017, especially with Canada150), the long distance triathlon events won’t be held in 2017 (that’s the short version, for the longer version, please read on…).
When we lost our cycle route, and had to postpone the Subaru EPIC Dartmouth Triathlon in the Spring of 2016, we were on track for our best year ever (in terms of numbers of competitors). At that time we didn’t know how being forced to take a year off would affect registration for the 2017 race: Would we have even more registrants for 2017 from pent up demand, or would we have less from loss of momentum?
EPIC 2016 continued without the long distance triathlon, and the overall EPIC event had it’s best year ever! We set record numbers in the EPIC Canadian Runs (becoming the 3rd largest Canada Day run in the country, plus adding a new Half and Quarter marathon). We set record numbers in the EPIC Kids triathlon, record numbers in the EPIC Swim, and started a new adult Try-A-Tri. Even without the long distance triathlon, we had the largest total number of participants ever – to the pleasure of the City and our Sponsors.
Immediately following the 2016 event, we opened registration for 2017 EPIC Kids for just one week… 57 kids signed up in the first 48 hours – all for a race 350 days away!
On the run side, excitement for 2017 and Canada 150 means registration for the EPIC Canadian runs will again be strong this year (now 5 race distances over three days, with the EPIC Double, the EPIC Triple and the new 3-day, 4-event, EPIC Marathon – 42.2k over three days).
Unfortunately, that same enthusiasm just has not materialized for the 2017 long distance events. We had more kids register for our 2017 kids event in that first 48 hours registration was open, than new registrants for our 2017 long distance triathlon in the first six months between July and December. Therefore, we have made the not-easy decision to focus 2017 on these growing events, and wrap up the long distance triathlon portion of the EPIC Weekend.
We know this news will be disappointing to those of you who did commit to the 2017 race. Our entire team shares in that disappointment.
We know that the quality of the event has been there – from medals and swag, to meals, to medical services, to photo and video, to support on course. We also know the experiences of the participants, lives changed, goals reached, and a huge amount raised by our participants for charity (over $135,000).
Yet, we never hit critical mass with this event – meaning registration fees never covered the cost of producing the event. Each year we’ve found ways to continue, and to gather funds to subsidize the athletes – hoping that numbers would grow to the point where it could be self supporting. Ironically, the events that are experiencing great growth, and that will continue for 2017 and beyond? Are those events that were initially started to share costs with, and subsidize, the long-distance triathlon.
Perhaps the EPIC Triathlon will be re-imagined in a different format in a few years time, or perhaps we will just have the memories. In either case, it’s been fun, and a LOT of great times. Those of you receiving this email were part of making EPIC happen, and if there were simply more like you eager to join us, the event would have continued for many, many years.
We hope that you will still join us for one of the other EPIC events this Canada Day Weekend 2017. Canada150 is the biggest Canada Day that most of us will ever experience, and we’d still love to have you join us on the shores of Lake Banook for Canada Day Weekend 2017.
Now go do something EPIC!
All the Best,
Tim and the EPIC Team.