EDMONTON - To bring the 2014 International Triathlon Union’s world championship to Edmonton, Sheila O’Kelly had to embark on a global journey of her own.

The executive director of the Edmonton Triathlon Academy was in Auckland, N.Z., for the ITU’s Grand Final in 2012 when the idea of Edmonton as a host for the event was born.

“Some of my colleagues at ITU said, ‘Do you think there’s a possibility that Edmonton would do the final in 2014?’ ” Kelly said Monday. “I emailed (city councillor) Jane Batty and 10 days later when I came back, I met with (city councillors) and it went form there.

“It was a lot of work, the city staff did a lot of work, just getting it through council as fast as we did. Then we got the study done on the lake (at Hawrelak Park) over Christmas and getting that through on Jan. 23.”

From Auckland to Edmonton, with all of the appropriate letters crossed and dotted, O’Kelly and some Academy representatives, along with city officials, zigged over to Madrid, Spain, where they made a presentation to ITU officials on Jan. 25 and 26. With the ITU’s approval, they zagged back home faster than you can say “jet lag” in Spanish.

“We got back (Sunday) night,” O’Kelly said, the effects of time-zone hopping not affecting her spirits. “It’s a very big event.”

The official date isn’t nailed down yet, but O’Kelly expects the race to run in early September.

The event is budgeted to cost $5 million, with the city contributing $2 million and the rest coming from corporate sponsors and the other two levels of government.

Work to upgrade Hawrelak Park’s lake to ITU standards will cost the city $1.23 million.

The event’s estimated economic impact is $16 million, the city said in a release.

The Grand Final caps an ongoing global series between the world’s best triathletes. O’Kelly said the age group race is what pads the participant number into the neighbourhood of 5,000. A worldwide TV audience of 21 million, spanning 160 countries, is expected.

“It’s a big event with three full days of racing on the roads,” O’Kelly said.

Edmonton’s history of successfully hosting such events as the 2001 World Track and Field Championships and Triathlon World Cups in recent years played into the city landing this event on such a quick turnaround. O’Kelly organized the World Cup series in Edmonton for five years with the ITU.

San Diego was slated to host the 2014 event, but backed out last fall.

“They came to us because Edmonton has a history with the ITU and they know the city is very supportive and for events this size you have to have a city behind you to support it, otherwise it doesn’t work,” O’Kelly said.

The 2013 World Triathlon Series begins on April 6 in Auckland and will have six more events that span four continents before wrapping up with the Grand Final from Sept. 11 to 16 in London, England.

coleary@edmontonjournal.com

Twitter.com/olearychris