Whitehorse Triathlon to hold 10th annual event on Sunday

Fans of swimming, cycling and running are in for a treat on Sunday as the City of Whitehorse Parks and Recreation is gearing up to hold its annual triathlon event.

Fans of swimming, cycling and running are in for a treat on Sunday as the City of Whitehorse Parks and Recreation is gearing up to hold its annual triathlon event.

The 10th Annual Whitehorse Triathlon will begin at the Lion’s Aquatic Centre with the swimming event, before participants make the transition to cycling and then conclude the race with the running component.

“I think it’s a great asset to the community to be able to offer an event like a triathlon and I think it is a wonderful way that we can provide a venue for people to do their training,” said Kathryn Zrum, the race director and event organizer.

“It’s all a part of our summer active offerings that we do every year. It is just a way to encourage people to become active and get involved.”

In 1998, the City of Whitehorse held its first triathlon race, which they named “What a Rush!” The event was held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush.

What’s special about the Whitehorse Triathlon is that it gives participants the option of competing as individuals or as a team.

Teams can have two or three members and allow for a participant to focus his or her attention on a specific segment of the triathlon, while avoiding one or both of the remaining disciplines.

Without the team option, junior competitors would not be allowed to participate in the triathlon because of an event stipulation that doesn’t allow youth who are under the age of 15 to cycle on the highway.

There is two distance levels that participants could sign up for this year. The first is the sprint distance challenge, which includes a 500 m swim (20 lengths of the pool), a 20 km cycle and a five km run.

The sprint category attracted 48 individuals and teams.

The other category is the Olympic distance where 32 individuals and teams are set to compete.

The Olympic category includes 60 lengths in the pool, which is 1,500 m altogether, a 40 km cycle and a 10 km run.

The race routes will begin outside the Canada Games Centre and follow along Hamilton Boulevard., Sumanik Drive and the South Alaska Highway.

One of the differences for this year’s triathlon is that Parks and Recreation was required to complete a Highways Right of Way permit, which gave them permission to have the event on the Alaska Highway.

What it means in terms of the actual triathlon is that the cyclists are going to have to stop at the check point turnarounds and give their name and number to the person at the station.

After a cyclist has been crossed off, he or she will be allowed to turn around, when it is safe to cross the highway, for the final half of the cycling event.

Whitehorse Parks and Recreation also offered two different training courses for individuals interested in improving their times at the triathlon. Both courses were held once a week since April.

Participants in the beginners triathlon training course worked with instructor Shelley Gellatly, who focused on the cycling and running events.

Swimming was also featured and was taught by trained staff at the Canada Games Centre.

The swimming session centred around skills, such as stroke technique with the goal of improving the overall time in the water. 

Another area of focus was the transitions between the three different events, which can be difficult for individuals new to the sport.

The other course was for individuals who have previous experience competing in a triathlon event and were interested in improving their overall times.

The intermediate course was also taught by Gellatly, who provided instructions in the areas of the running and cycling and the Canada Games Centre had pool staff helped out with the swimming portion.

Registration for the triathlon has been closed since Monday, but there is currently a waiting list for both the sprint and Olympic levels.

There is a wide age range for the race, which includes competitors who are 12 years old to individuals in their 60s.

The triathlon is purely a fun, participation event and doesn’t award prizes for the top finishers of the race.

However, all participants are timed at each of the three disciplines with the same equipment that was used for the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

Spectators are encouraged to come out and take in the event, which involves five heats in total. The Olympic distance will feature two separate heats.

The first heat in the Olympic distance will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the other will take place at 9:15 a.m.

The opening heat in the Sprint category will be at 10 a.m.

The next heat will occur at 10:30 a.m. and the final heat is scheduled for 11 a.m. The triathlon is expected to conclude by around 2 p.m.

There is a pre race meeting for all of the participants, which will be held Friday at 7 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at the Canada Games Centre.

At the meeting, rules, safety details and general information will be provided in regard to Sunday’s race.

Whitehorse Parks and Recreation would like to thank Greg Kent of the Alpine Ski Association for providing the timing system for the triathlon.

Other upcoming Whitehorse Parks and Recreation events include Corporate Volleyball, which is scheduled for June 11.

Corporate Volleyball will be held at Rotary Peace Park and registration is currently ongoing. Registration can be done by calling either Whitehorse Parks and Recreation or the Canada Games Centre.