Everyone a winner in TriKids triathlon
400 kids aged three to 15 take part in race that’s about completing, not competing
There was bell-ringing and cheers of encouragement from volunteers and spectators as an estimated 400 athletes ages three to 15 swam, cycled and ran their way through the SunRype TriKids triathlon course at the H2O pool and the Mission Sports Fields Sunday.
It was the seventh year for the event in Kelowna.
Tara Melville and husband Brad founded the series in 2009 when they found the only youth triathlon races with a non-competitive atmosphere were added to adult triathlon races.
They came up with a stand-alone triathlon series that was all about the kids, with the parents just spectators.
“When we started in 2009, we wanted to take away the competition from youth triathlon,” she said. “It’s important to take the pressure away from these young athletes and allow them to have fun.”
The series has grown from four races to 10 with seven races in Ontario, two in B.C. and one in Alberta. Most of the races sell out.
Melville attributes their popularity to the motto of complete not compete.
“It’s all about trying your best,” she said. “It’s a non-competitive event. We assist the athletes as much as they need. We want them to have fun and have them keep coming back.”
The SunRype TriKids race serves as an introduction to an event with three sports combined that most kids love.
Five-year-old Koa Scramstead said he had fun at his first triathlon, in which his age division swims 15 metres, bikes 500 m and runs 150 m.
His sister Malea, three, also did her first triathlon.
“It was just for something fun,” said their mom, Natasha.
The family likes to take advantage of living in the Okanagan by swimming in the lake, and going for hikes and bike rides for some healthy family time.
Koa said his favourite part of the race was the biking, while getting a treat was Malea’s favourite.
While there were lots of first-time racers, for seven-year old Oliver Seigman, Sunday’s race was his seventh triathlon.
“It’s fun,” he said, adding swimming was his favourite leg of the race.
He began when he was three, said his mom, Heather.
Oliver and his brother Sam do two SunRype Tri races a year.
The family comes up from Ferndale, Wash., for the races. “It’s beautiful up here,” said Heather. Both Heather and her husband do triathlons, and she said it sets up a healthy lifestyle for the family.