Hawrelak Lake cleared for triathlon after algae scare
This year's world triathlon championships will remain an actual triathlon, following fears that algae might sink the swimming portion of the race.
Alberta Health Services declared Sunday that Hawrelak Lake was safe enough for competitors to swim in during the International Triathlon Union world championship on Sept. 4.
Race organizers and city officials were left scrambling last week when blue-green algae was discovered in the water of the man-made lake.
The algae can cause skin rashes and other sicknesses if water is accidently swallowed.
If clean-up wasn't successful, they said they would have been forced to eliminate swimming from the triathlon, turning it into a duathlon.
