Hundreds of brave souls left the comfort of their beds in the early hours of May 25 to take on the gruelling 2025 Victoria Ironman 70.3.
Held annually in May, the triathlon pushes athletes of all ages, from seasoned pros to first-time competitors, to their physical and mental limits.
While this year’s 1.9-kilometre swim was cancelled due to an algal bloom, participants still had to power through a 90-kilometre bike ride across the Saanich Peninsula before completing the race with a 21.1-kilometre run around Elk and Beaver Lakes.
The race began at 6:30 a.m., and Los Angeles’ George Hoffman was the first of 872 participants to cross the finish line, with a time of 3:32:44.
Although he has more than 20 triathlons under his belt, this one was especially meaningful for the American, as it was the first time he was crowned race champion.
“This is very, very special to me,” he said. “I've been chasing this for a very long time, so it feels really good to get it done.
“I worked so hard for so long and it's been a dream.”
Having competed across North America and beyond, Hoffman admitted he has a soft spot for the Vancouver Island race.
“The course was so hard, but so beautiful: the best course I've ever raced by far,” he said. “It's like no other race I've ever done.” However, Hoffman said the course presented a unique set of challenges for him.
“Running on dirt is just a whole different beast,” he said. “Luckily it's pretty packed so you can get some good footing, but still, you're kind of always dodging rocks and roots, so that's tough.”
Although a tad disappointed not to do the swimming portion, Hoffman remained unfazed, and quickly readjusted mentally before the race.
“It's always a little bit of a bummer when it's not a full 70.3, but I think it was the right call,” he said. “Clearly it wasn't safe to swim, so… it just makes the race different, and that's totally fine.”
A few minutes later, finishing third with a time of 3:34:22, Victoria’s own Julien Forgeois crossed the finish line. Originally from France, he has been calling B.C.’s capital city home for the past year.
Having started training for triathlons just over six years ago, Forgeois was proud to compete on local ground in what he described as a high-calibre competition.
“I understood right away that it will be a very tough race this year with a lot of very good contenders,” he said. “I tried to push myself as much as I could. As soon as I left the bike in the rack, I started running, and I was cramping in both legs, but I was able to hold a decent pace.”
Saying that he was “really satisfied” with his performance, Forgeois explained that, like Hoffman, the running portion was the toughest part of the event, despite the course’s beauty.
“The most challenging part was definitely running on the gravel, because you don't get the kick at the end that makes you faster,” he said. “It takes a lot of energy to get to the same pace, but it's beautiful.”
As the first Canadian to finish the race, the triathlete said he now has his eyes on Nice, France, in September after qualifying at last year’s Ironman 70.3 in Penticton.
Canada’s Marley Beckett was the first woman to finish the race, clocking in at 4:03:55.
For more information about the May 25 race and for race results, visit ironman.com
