Carleton Cup winners Scott MacIntyre (left) and Eann Hodes.
A unique Ottawa-based "sporting" event hit a milestone recently as the Carleton Cup celebrated its 25th anniversary at the end of January.
The "all-Canadian triathlon" sees participants skate down a portion of the Rideau Canal, run through the Byward Market to the bar and then rush to drink a beer all in the quest to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis Canada’s Ottawa Chapter.
This year, the 89 participants raised at least $10,000, says Ottawa Chapter president Stuart Hodge.
Hodge says the funds raised by this event primarily go towards research to try to find a cure to the disease.
"It’s not to put a Band-Aid on cystic fibrosis, but to fix it," he says. "Medical research and clinical research is the main drive. (The event) also provides funding for the two clinics in Ottawa."
The cup started fundraising for cystic fibrosis in 1995 and choosing the charity was an easy decision for organizers.
"I always call it a no brainer because two of our best friends (have cystic fibrosis)," says Carleton Cup race director Scott Rondeau. "The money we’ve raised over the years has gone directly to research and help the longevity of people with CF and of course to help find a cure."
He says fundraising for cystic fibrosis has given him the opportunity to meet new friends who also live with the disease, many of whom participate in the event.
However, the mucus that forms in the lungs of someone living with the disease can make the Carleton Cup a difficult event.
"Exercising in the cold isn’t necessarily a good thing for a person living with CF," he says. "They come if they can, that’s for sure."
Rondeau says he is really impressed how the race has grown over the past quarter century.
"When the race started it was just a bunch of university students tearing it up, having a good time," he says with a chuckle.
This year, they moved from the smaller Aulde Dubliner to its sister bar, the Heart and Crown on Clarence Street, in anticipation of a larger crowd.
Heart and Crown general manager Jeff Davis says the bar’s employees look forward to hosting the event every year.
"It’s for a charity cause and they’re a great bunch of people to work with," he says.
Unfortunately, the cold weather kept some people away this year, but the effort to grow the event will continue in the future.
"It’s one of those funny events that people don’t like to commit too because they aren’t sure (about the weather)," Rondeau says. "Some years the canal doesn’t freeze. This year of course it was too cold."
Hodge says he and the organizing committee are looking at alternatives to the race if the weather doesn’t cooperate in the future.
It is unclear at this time what the alternative will be, but Hodge wants to ensure the potential closing of the canal does not force the cancellation of the event.
"I’d love to see more people, but the biggest problem we have is the weather," he says. "We can’t guarantee that the canal will play nicely."