Where Ottawa Magazine Winter Spring 2018 | Page 8

Where / What / When Gatineau Loppet events OuTdOOR WaRRIORs Ice capades of onlookers cheer. The boat hulls outfitted with blades and paddles sprouting spikes make this race one a fierce battle. The iconic Winterlude has hosted some crazy competitions over its 40 years, including 2,500 minor hockey players simul- taneously playing 150 shinny games, and hotel bartenders racing down the Canal balanc- ing trays of drinks. Here are this year’s most notable events: icedragonboat.ca Marathon 3 Winterman & Marathon Relays Feb. 18 1 Winterlude Triathlon Ice dragon Boat 2 Ottawa Festival winterludetriathlon.com Notorious for selling out minutes after registration opens, this wild event hosts 100 teams from across Quebec, Ontario, and the U.S. They each practice on the ice only 24 hours before race day, when 12 “paddlers” make their special dragonboats speed across Dow’s Lake as thousands Feb. 3 Luckily there isn’t any changing into or out of swimwear at this triathlon! Centered around Dow’s Lake, participants skate 8 km along the Canal, cross- country ski another 8 km in the neighbouring Arboretum, and then run 5 km along the lake and skateway. 8 where winter/spring 2018 Feb. 10 Held along the scenic Sir John A. McDonald Parkway, cold weather runners test their mettle at a full marathon, marathon relays, 10-km, 5-km, or 3-km courses. Those who brave the windchill screaming across the Ottawa River and cross the finish line at the Canadian War Museum get a gold medal — because they absolutely deserve it! runguides.com/ottawa/event/ winterman