St Malo hosts World Police and Fire Games triathlon

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This article was published 14/08/2023 (638 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Athletes from around the world competed in venues across the province for the 2023 World Police and Fire Games (WPFG), and St Malo got in on the fun.

The provincial park hosted the open water swimming and triathlon competitions, with well over 100 athletes taking part over Aug. 2 and Aug. 3. Danielle McKinnon works as a public information officer for the Winnipeg Police Service and helped organize the triathlon.

Athletes had to battle heat inside the park to complete the Olympic distance course. The triathlon included a three km swim, 40 km bike ride and 10 km run.

“It was absolutely beyond what we could have hoped for,” McKinnon said as the final athletes finished the race.

“The weather, the volunteers were so enthusiastic… (The athletes) were top calibre, and had such great energy.”

Athletes certainly felt the heat, especially as they finished the run around noon, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees. Some needed ice and medical attention after a final sprint to the line.

“This was the quintessential Manitoba summer day,” McKinnon said.

“Plus-30, no wind, hot as heck, and just awesome.”

Athletes from just under 20 countries participated in the triathlon, including relay teams from the United Arab Emirates, which were the first runners to cross the finish line. The World Police and Fire games do not give out the names of winners, citing privacy concerns.

Members of the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service, Winnipeg Police, paramedics and even correction officers participated in the triathlon.

“We had such a great array of first responders partners, which we don’t often get to see in this light,” McKinnon said.

“We connect usually in a very different light, so this is so fun.”

Over 8,000 people travelled to Manitoba to participate in the games, which finished Aug. 6.

“It’s been a good economical boost,” McKinnon said.

“Our city has been booming… Everything has just been flowing and co-operative.”

WPFG chief operating officer Mike Edwards told the Winnipeg Free Press the feedback was overwhelmingly positive during the nine-day, 60-plus event sports extravaganza.

“We’ve been hearing nothing but positive feedback from volunteers, our business partners, our corporate partners, the athletes …they had nothing but great things to say,” Edwards said.

“They were unaware there were so many great things about Winnipeg — and those are Canadians and non-Canadians alike. There was a lot of unknown, especially coming from the international side, Winnipeg isn’t Ottawa but it now is to these athletes, and that’s a great takeaway.”

With files from Donald Stewart