Nearly 250 triathletes will soon be swimming, running and biking their way to triathlon glory through the streets of Innisfail.
After the cancellation of the 2013 event due to work on the Innisfail Aquatic Centre, the 2014 Innisfail Triathlon will run on Sept. 13 from 8:30 a.m. to mid-afternoon starting at the pool and finishing beside Napoleon Lake.
“We have participants from all over Alberta and traditionally athletes from British Columbia also participate,” said Brenda Tams, organizing committee member. “We had hoped for 300, but two years ago we had 230 register, so this is an improvement.”
The Innisfail volunteer has been involved with the triathlon since 2002 when the first event was put on.
“As triathletes, or parents of kids who were going around to other communities to participate, we decided it was time to have our own event,” added Tams. “We held our first event, and we are still going strong. We are now Alberta Triathlon Association sanctioned and have been since 2011, which gives us legitimacy in the province and allows athletes to gather points.”
There are two streams for athletes participating in the triathlon, the sprint, and the tri-it, with the difference being the distance each component consists of.
“The sprint requires a 750-metre swim, a 20-kilometre bike ride and a five-kilometre run, while the tri-it includes a 300-metre swim, five-kilometre bike ride and two-kilometre run,” said Tams, who has both organized and run in triathlons around the province.
Organizers say they are still striving to maintain the event as a first-timer-friendly triathlon while providing an experienced course for athletes.
Sprint triathletes must be 16 years of age and all bike riders must wear appropriate safety equipment.
“We have close to 75 volunteers but can always use more to make sure we run smoothly,” said Tams, who added anyone can be part of the event as a volunteer.
More information on the event and volunteering can be found at www.innisfailtriathlon.com .
