Officials in Whistler have confirmed the resort has put in a proposal to host the next Ironman triathlon competition.

After hosting the event for 30 years, the City of Penticton decided not to invite the triathlon back next summer, prompting organizers to look for a new location.

Those efforts saw a Request for Proposal (RFP) being sent to select B.C. and Alberta cities including Whistler.

Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden said Tuesday (Sept. 25) the decision was made with stakeholders to put forward a bid to host the event for the next five years.

"It is a five year proposal and we will know by the end of the week whether we have made a short list," Wilhelm-Morden said. "We discussed this with Pemberton and the SLRD (Squamish and Lillooet Regional District) and have the support of the communities in the corridor."

The mayor said it is expected that organizers will make a final decision by mid-October and if the resort gets to host the event it is a terrific opportunity.

"It will be really quite a huge event and it will be part of what we already see with GranFondo in terms of really expanding cycling opportunities in Whistler," she said. "We will see people training in the corridor for both GranFondo and Ironman and it is really quite exciting."

Look for more on this story in Thursday's (Sept. 27) Question.