Racers, looking for a new challenge? Look no further than the upcoming MultiSport at the Lake races.
It was recently announced the duathlon and aqua bike events at MultiSport at the Lake will be qualifying races for the Triathlon World Championships at the ITU MultiSport Festival in Pontevedra, Spain next year.
“To debut as a qualifier is simply amazing,” said Cathy Forner, race director for the event.
Forner says there are still lots of spots available in the qualifying races, as well as the many other races to be done on Aug. 4.
The top male and female in each age category will win his or her spot at the world championships.
Each category encompasses roughly five ages, ascending.
“We are the only qualifying spot in Alberta,” said Forner. “The qualifiers is helping to gain some traction.”
Registration for the races have been a little slow up until the announcement. Now, however, Forner says the event is seeing an increase in those registering to race and to sponsor.
Adding the qualifying spots has got not only racers excited, but local sponsors as well.
“People are certainly excited, sponsors as well. We have gotten a few more since announcing the qualifying spots,” said Forner.
MultiSport at the Lake has been in touch with Triathlon Alberta for marketing purposes, which has helped, according to Forner.
The race is reaching more people now, and with the qualifying spot, people from across the province are registering.
Forner said she would like to see how far the race can reach, and hopes some from outside of the province will take up to opportunity and chance to compete at Worlds.
While it is a bit of a long day, with events beginning at 6:45 a.m., and registration opening at 5:30 a.m., Forner says it will be over quickly as all races will wrap up by 2 p.m. on Aug. 4.
“Which gives people enough time to head over to the NexSource Centre to watch the hockey game,” she said with a laugh.
MultiSport at the Lake is being called a smaller, friendly event, with a family-friendly atmosphere.
In fact, the event even has a family based race to include everyone.
The family fun relay can hold a maximum of 25 teams, consisting of two adults and two children.
The relay is a smaller version of some of the races, with each adult swimming 50 metres, biking 600 metre and running 400 metre and the children swimming 25 metres, biking 300 metres and running 200 metres each.
According the the MultiSport at the Lake website, adults 18 and over can be a parent/guardian, aunt, uncle or family friend with children, siblings, cousins, friends etc., between the ages of 5-12.
Similar to the family fun relay, MultiSport at the Lake will also hold a tag team relay. Mixed relay is a prospective Olympic event for 2020.
The mixed relay event can also accommodate only 25 teams.
The event will also hold triathlon events.
“This isn’t like any other triathlon event we have ever had,” said Forner. “The entire event is run by locals, and everything goes back into the community into local sports.”
Athletes can register for the event through the event’s website, www.multisport.atthelake.ca