Before worldwide triathlon series, before deep professional fields, and before Ironman became a household name in Canada, there were a handful of pioneers who simply showed up to race.
In the sport’s early era, when legends like Dave Scott and Mark Allen defined Ironman dominance on the world stage, Don and Sandra Bowden were lining up on start lines across the country.
They were first-generation adopters of both cycling and triathlon in Canada. They raced when events were grassroots and participation was driven more by curiosity and grit than by commercial opportunity. They competed in the early years of Ironman Canada in Penticton, the first Ironman event held in the country.
Their teenage daughter, Lori Bowden, often travelled with them. After a setback at a race in Windsor, where she was disqualified for forgetting to put on her helmet and missed a spot on the World Olympic Distance team, Lori made a decision that would go on to shape Canadian triathlon history: she went to Penticton with her parents.
On minimal training, she won her age category and qualified for Kona. The rest, as the sport now knows well, is history.
Bowden went on to win the Ironman World Championship twice, in 1999 and 2003, and stood on the podium seven consecutive years from 1997 to 2003. Behind those results was not only talent and discipline, but a family immersed in the culture of endurance sport, often in Kona with her, racing or cheering.
A Competitor, A Mother, A Builder of Community
Sandra herself was an accomplished athlete. In her youth, she helped secure national cross country team titles. As an adult, she was a consistent age group podium finisher and Kona qualifier.
Yet those who knew her best speak less about her results and more about her love of training. She trained with unmistakable joy in the daily process and helped others embrace that same enthusiasm. For Sandra, the sport was never just about finish lines. It was about movement, commitment, and community.
Sandra passed away this past weekend due to complications related to dementia. She leaves behind Don, two children, and a community that includes Canadian champions such as Lisa Bentley and Heather Fuhr, along with countless others whose paths she influenced.
In remembering Sandra Bowden, we remember more than race results. We remember a generation that built Canadian triathlon from the ground up, and a woman whose steady presence helped shape what the sport would become.
Sandra with her long-time training partner Caron Shepley. (Photo Credit: Barrie Shepley)