Tri-sport event takes place of traditional triathlon during Blueberry Festival
Tim Brody - Editor
Sioux Lookout’s annual triathlon was cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but by thinking outside the box, organizers were able to move forward with an event featuring the main aspects of the triathlon in a manner that complied with public health measures such as physical distancing.
“By splitting it up into three events, not really a true triathlon, but a tri-sport challenge, we hoped it would encourage people to participate,” said Doug Lawrance, one of the organizers of the tri-sport event.
The swim took place on August 3, the bike took place on August 5 and the run took place on August 7. Participants were able to compete anytime on those dates between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., record their result and submit it.
Participants had to be at least 16 years of age and were able to participate individually or as part of a team.
This year’s winners
were:
FASTEST TRIATHLON TIME (MALE) - Brent Holmes Heron with a total time of 1 hour, 16 minutes, and 52 seconds (beating Brodie Marshall by one second!!)
FASTEST TRIATHLON TIME (FEMALE) - Lucy Manchester with a total time of 1 hour, 39 minutes, and 50 seconds
FASTEST TRY-A-TRI TIME - Margot Saari with a total time of 44 minutes and 57 seconds
FASTEST TEAM TIME - Joyce Timpson, Shelia Angeconeb, and Sarah Flowers with a total time of 1 hour, 51 minutes, and 11 seconds
FASTEST SWIM OVERALL - Brent Holmes Heron with a time of 14 minutes and 25 seconds
FASTEST BIKE OVERALL - Brent Holmes Heron with a time of 39 minutes and 47 seconds
FASTEST RUN OVERALL - Brodie Marshall with a time of 17 minutes and 15 seconds
“I want to thank the Blueberry Festival and Jessica (Darling – Festival Coordinator) very much for helping with some of the online work,” Lawrance said, adding he and the other event organizers are considering running the tri-sport event next year in place of the traditional triathlon.
Lawrance said organizers are looking for new members to join their ranks, “The current organizers, we’re a few generations on and if a generation or two down from us wants to get involved and help coordinate something for the youth, we would certainly work with them in terms of our experience and the equipment that we have.” Anyone interested in joining the event’s organizing group can leave a message on the event’s Facebook page, Sioux Triathlon.
