A welcome home celebration for Shanda Hill will be held Sunday, Oct. 29 from 12-3 at the Elks Lodge. (submitted photo/Facebook)

By Pete McIntyre

community celebration

Welcome home for Shanda Hill

Oct 29, 2023 | 8:00 AM

Vernon’s record-setting ultra athlete is going to get a welcome home befitting of the champion that she is.

An open house celebration will be held for Shanda Hill Sunday, Oct. 29 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Elks Hall #45 at 3103 30th Street in Vernon.

“Please stop by to meet with Shanda in person and talk about her athletic journey. For those who wish to join us, we’ll be serving hot coffee, tea, and delicious Rancho Vignola snacks,” a posting on social media stated.

Shanda Hill receives her certificate after completing the Double Deca in Mexico. (submitted/Facebook)

Hill will fly home to the Okanagan Saturday night after a triumphant finish at the Double Deca continuous triathlon in Mexico last week. The 41-year-old overcame injuries and pain to come from behind to win the gruelling race which took her 27 days to complete.

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It was Hill’s second Double Deca in as many months after completing one in Switzerland in September.

“Over the past two months, spanning two Double Deca triathlons, Shanda swam an impressive 152 km, biked a whopping 7,200 km, and ran an incredible 1,688 km. That’s a total of 9,040 km; in comparison, the longest distance across Canada is 5,514 km,” Hill’s team posted.

Only two other athletes finished the event which started with six participants.

Hill is the first person to complete three Double Deca ultra triathlons in her career (the other one was in Mexico in 2019), and one of just three people worldwide to conquer two Double Decas in a calendar year.

“As of today, Shanda has achieved the astounding equivalent of 100 long-distance triathlon races in just seven years, earning her a spot in the prestigious IUTA Hall of Fame,” her team said.

Hill also holds the female world record for the most long-distance triathlons completed in a calendar year.

Organizers of the welcome home event are thanking the Elks Lodge #45 for donating the venue, and Starbucks for providing coffee.