The 15th annual Love City Triathlon is just a little over three weeks away, on Aug. 31.
The event began as a swim-bike-and-run triathlon, but several years ago the organizers added a separate swim-and-run event called an aquathon. This year, they’re including stand-up paddle boards in what they’re calling a supathon.
The event begins at 7 a.m.
“Not much happens in the summer. It’s a good opportunity to get back into exercise,” Jude Woodcock, a member of the organizing committee, said.
She said her initial idea was to replace the bikes with the standup paddle boards because there are often issues such as wet roads and crashes with the bikes. However, she said the committee members were so enthused about the standup paddle boards that they decided to just expand the event.
The event is expected to attract athletes from across the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as the nearby British Virgin Islands.
Woodcock said last year’s men’s triathlon winner, St. John resident Matt Crafts, plans to participate. Last year’s first-place women finisher in the triathlon, St. Croix resident Theresa Harper, will not race because she’s injured.
Woodcock didn’t know if St. Thomas resident Corby Parfitt, who was first in the men’s aquathon, will race again this year, and she said St. John resident Jodie Tanino, who won the women’s aquathon, was on the fence.
The triathlon includes a half-mile swim off Maho Bay Beach, a 14-mile bike ride from Maho along the North Shore Road to Cruz Bay, returning via Centerline Road to King Hill Road and finishing at Maho. Racers will then run four miles from Maho to Annaberg, including the Annaberg stairs, and back to the finish at Maho.
Helmets are required for bicyclists.
The aquathon starts with a half-mile swim at Maho before finishing with a four-mile run from Maho to Annaberg, including the stairs, to the finish line at Maho.
Supathon participants will swim for a half-mile at Maho, paddle board for about four miles from Maho to Cinnamon Bay, returning around Cinnamon Cay and back to Maho. They will finish with a four-mile run from Maho to Annaberg, including the stairs, and back to Maho. Leashes or personal flotation devices are required for supathon participants.
Participants without their own standup paddle board can rent one from Arawak Expeditions. The special race rental fee will be $25. It includes the board, paddle, PFD, and delivery to Maho on the morning of the race. Call Arawak Expeditions at 693-8312 or 800-238-8687 or visit www.arawakexp.com/reserve-your-rental/ to reserve and pay for the rental.
For the triathlon only, folks not up for multiple legs of the event can form a relay team.
The entry fee for triathletes, aquathoners and supathoners is $40. Relay teams pay $35 for each member.
Entry fees include a T-shirt, support on the course and a beach picnic at Maho. Woodcock said the picnic should begin around 10 a.m., right after the last participants cross the finish line.
The top five triathletes and aquathoners will receive awards. The top two supathoners will get awards, as will the top three relay teams. Triathletes also will be included in the Inter-Island award. Each island having three triathletes, at least one of whom is female on the team, will be eligible. The three fastest times added will win.
Registration is limited to 100 participants. Register at www.lovecity-tri.com. There will be no registration on race day.
A mandatory race check-in and a pre-race meeting will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 30 at the Tap Room in Mongoose Junction. A slide show will follow when it gets dark.
More information is available by calling race director Jason Kuczek at 1-340-344-9187 or sending him an email him at jckuczek@gmail.
