Triathletes will swim, bike, and run through the Northern Rockies Regional Recreation Centre for the community’s annual event on August 23.
The recreation centre, located on the Alaska Highway in Fort Nelson, will host participants in this year’s Northern Rockies Triathlon. Athletes can choose one of four distances to compete in and the longest of the options, Olympic, involves 1,000 metres of swimming, a 40-kilometre bike ride, and ten kilometres of running.
“We’re supposed to have really great weather, we’ve got a great staff and volunteers,” said Krista Pearson, the municipality’s recreation program and rentals manager. “Come, have fun, enjoy the team atmosphere.”
She will be swimming on behalf of some participants who cannot, she said accessibility was a priority for the event planners.
The other categories, sprint, dash, and kids, have shorter distances for each activity of the race, with sprinters’ events being half the distance of the next tier up and dashers working through a quarter of a traditional triathlon.
Kids will swim for 100 metres, bike for four kilometres, and run for one kilometre. All three of the non-Olympic tiers still have spots available for residents to register. People registered under the dash and kids’ categories will see more laxed refereeing than the traditional triathlon rules would dictate, Pearson said.
“We’re super easygoing with people, like if you want to use a kickboard, a lifejacket, anything, you can also do that – just to take down the pressure from having to be a pretty seasoned swimmer,” she explained.
Athletes will also have the choice of a duathlon, where they will run, cycle, then run again.
“It’s a great way to give people that don’t want to swim, or can’t swim, another option so they’re still part of the race. The duathlon has two running sections, so when everyone else is swimming, you’re also running. Then you bike, and then, you’re running again,” said Pearson.
As the event approaches, volunteers and staff are starting to set up – the program manager said they were getting ready to start putting up signs and setting up water stations. She said volunteers are working to ensure the triathlon has the same energy it has had in years past.
“(Triathletes) can expect a lot of fun,” Pearson sai.
She described the event as, “a really great vibe” and while it is competitive in spirit, more experienced athletes are focused on supporting newcomers to the sport.
“It’s a super positive space, especially for people’s first time and they’re just getting into triathlons. Then it’s a really positive experience – not that you’re not nervous, but you’re going to feel a little bit more relaxed,” explained Pearson.
One of the key reasons for the positivity, she said, is the pride athletes feel after completing all three activities.
“We can’t wait to cheer you on and to see your big smile at the end. It’s such a cool feeling to see everyone just so proud of themselves, and we have always had spectators that are there cheering everybody on,” Pearson explained.
Athletes ranging from four-years-old to 67-years-old are expected to compete in Fort Nelson this Saturday.
