Ottawa preparing to welcome thousands for sold-out Ironman event this weekend

Nick Kerr is one of the local athletes who will be competing in Ironman Canada-Ottawa this Sunday. Nearly 3-thousand athletes are registered, and it is expected to generate more than $8-million dollars into the local economy. July 29, 2026. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa is preparing to welcome thousands of athletes and spectators as the sold-out Ironman Canada-Ottawa triathlon returns this Sunday.

Nick Kerr is one of the local athletes who will be competing. He describes his feelings ahead of race day as, “excitement. I’d call it more excitement, a little bit less stress.”

“It’s nice to actually be able to enjoy the moment, enjoy the ride, enjoy all the festivities that go around the race week and then getting prepared and meeting new people from coming out of town and everyone coming to visit Ottawa,” he says.

• Ironman Canada-Ottawa: Here’s what you need to know about the event on Sunday

The race sold out quickly, with about 3,000 athletes registered to compete. The is the second year Ottawa has hosted the event.

“The desire to race in Ottawa is really high,” says race director David Holme. “The Canadian market is really strong right now for endurance sports and Ottawa specifically. Last year had a massive impact. The feedback was great, the excitement in the city was great, and Ottawa Tourism has done a great job of selling the city.”

An Ironman consists of a 3.8-kilometre swim, a 180-kilometre bike ride and a 42.2-kilometre marathon. Athletes have up to 17 hours to complete the course.

The route takes competitors past landmarks including Parliament Hill, Major’s Hill Park, the National Gallery of Canada, the Rideau Canal, the Central Experimental Farm and TD Place.

“Things are going really well,” Holme says. “The big turning point in the last couple of days is the fact that the weather has turned. We had our eyes on the weather... and now all of a sudden, it seems like we’ve got some drier conditions. It looks like into the weekend, at least until Sunday right now, is dry.”

The athlete village is set to open Thursday afternoon.

Ottawa Tourism says the event provides a significant boost for local businesses beyond race weekend.

“It’s a full weekend,” said Jérôme Miousse with Ottawa Tourism. “These athletes are focused on the event itself, but they still shop around, they still visit our attractions and sleep in our hotels.”

Miousse says the event generated approximately $8 million in economic activity last year, with that number expected to increase in 2026 as participation grows.

“We’re expecting maybe a little bit over $8 million this year,” she said. “Last year we had about 2,500 athletes. This year there are about 3,100 registered, so it’s getting more popular.”

Miousse says there are athletes from all provinces and two territories, from 46 U.S. states and 65 countries.

“It’s one of the only races that Ironman has 100 per cent in an urban setting,” he says. “Athletes are running, swimming and cycling across the city’s natural landmarks, political landmarks and institutions.”

While much of the course remains the same, organizers have made several adjustments based on feedback from last year’s inaugural race.

Among the biggest changes, the athlete transition area from the bike to the run has been moved beneath the National Gallery of Canada parking level, freeing up space in Major’s Hill Park. The finish line has also been relocated from Murray Street into the middle of the park.

“We’re going to try to keep a bigger crowd up into the actual park because it’s a beautiful destination and location,” Holme said.

Organizers have also reduced the impact on traffic.

“The Alexander Bridge, for instance, last year was a four-day closure and this year it’s only a single-day closure,” Edwards said. “We listen to the communities because everybody gets affected by it.”

According to the city of Ottawa, road closures are expected to start as early as 3 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2. Roads will be reopened to traffic once participants complete that section of the course. Some roads may be closed until approximately 1 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 3.

As for Kerr, he says the next few days are all about recovery and preparation, saying it is “great to be able to sleep in your own bed the night before, be able to show up on race morning, and then have your friends and family out along the race course throughout the day to cheer you on and support you, sort of as you progress through the long day.”

He says the finish line will be “a celebration. it’s exciting to cross that finish line. It’s a journey. It’s a tough day. It’s hard for anyone to do. It’s nice to see anyone be able to get out there and finish it is a huge accomplishment. Every time I get to cross that finish line, I’m happy.”

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