Practice your swim strokes, lace up your running shoes and put some miles on your bicycle. The Love City Triathlon and Aquathon is set for Sept. 5.
“It’s a great way to see the national park on the island of St. John,” said organizing committee member Jude Woodcock.
Most of the event is held in V.I. National Park.
The event begins at Maho Bay Beach with a half-mile swim. The next phase involves a 14-mile bicycle ride from Maho Bay Beach to Cruz Bay and on to the Annaberg Plantation parking lot. It concludes with a four-mile run from the parking lot to Maho Bay Beach and back to the parking lot.
If you’re not up for the biking portion of the triathlon, the aquathon includes the half-mile swim and a 3.4 mile run. Both are on the same courses used by the triathlon.
A picnic at Francis Bay begins as soon as everyone’s finished. Woodcock said that the picnic usually starts at about 10 a.m.
Registration runs $35 per person or $30 a person for relay participants. It is limited to 100 people. Register online or in person at Caribbean Surf Co. locations on St. Thomas, Stamina Sports on St. Croix and The Tap Room on St. John. There is no registration the morning of the event, but if space is still available you can register in person from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at Maho Bay Camps Pavilion Restaurant.
Race check-in starts at 4 p.m. Sept. 4 at Maho Bay Camps. A pre-race meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the campground.
Last year a total of 63 people and relay teams participated. St. Croix resident Theresa Harper took top honors for the women with a time of two hours and 10 seconds. Woodcock said she expects Harper to compete in the upcoming triathlon. Another St. Croix resident, Matt Halk, was first across the finish for the men with a time of one hour, 47 minutes and 38 seconds. Woodcock said it’s up in the air whether he’ll compete this year.
She expects some strong athletes to give Harper and Halk some competition. Woodcock said Morgan Locke, a St. Croix resident who now lives on St. Thomas, recently represented the territory in the Caribbean and Central American Games and is expected at the triathlon. Additionally, participants from St. Maarten and the British Virgin Islands will compete.
Participants receive a complimentary stay the night before the race at Maho Bay Camps. Residents of the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands receive 50 percent off the regular rate for additional nights. To make a reservation, call Maho Bay Camps directly at 340-715-0500 or 800-392-9004 by Sept. 2. Mention that you are a triathlon participant.
Visit www.stjohnlandsharks.com to register and for more information.
