LAKEPORT — World-class athletes from around the globe will descend on Lakeport June 10, as the city, county and Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce host the first annual Triathlon One-O-One.
Shannon Kurek, executive director of Triathlon One-O-One told a group of 20 community representatives Thursday morning that he expects 600 to 800 athletes to participate in the event the first year with potentially 1,500 or more athletes coming to Lake County in subsequent years. Participants already committed to participate include triathletes from Europe and former Olympians.
Contestants will enter Clear Lake the morning of June 10 and swim 1.86 miles, bike 80.6 miles and run 18.6 miles through the county”s countryside. The top seven finishers will split $50,000 in prize money with $10,000 going to first place.
Kurek said professional athletes will complete the complete 101.6 mile course in less than six hours. The event is open to all athletes, including “weekend warriors,” Kurek said, but noted there is a 12-hour time limit for completion of the course and each portion of the event has a time limit as well.
Four venues Bradenton, Florida, Halifax Nova Scotia, Woodlands Texas and Lake County have been chosen to roll out this new triathlon format, according to Kurek. Until now there were essentially two triathlon distances, the well-known Ironman Triathlon, which is 140.6 miles long (2.4 mile swim, 112 miles on bicycle and 26.2 mile run) and the Half-Ironman which is 70.3 miles long. Kurek, whose company has managed 400 triathlon events during the past 19 years, said the sport needed an intermediate distance. The distance of approximately 101 miles was determined and spawned the name Triathlon One-O-One.
“Given the outreach of this company and the public appeal worldwide of this sport, you can”t put a dollar value on the publicity this will bring Lake County,” said Lakeport Regional Chamber Executive Director Melissa Fulton.
Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide will be able to watch the race through real-time video broadcasts on the Internet, according to Kurek.
Current plans also include the temporary installation of large wide-screen televisions in Lakeport”s Library Park so local spectators can watch the entire race as it unfolds.
All costs related to the event are covered by Triathlon One-O-One and race sponsors. Kurek said not only will the county benefit from the exposure, monies spent by athletes and spectators, but local civic organizations are usually hired to do such things as man aid stations.
“We”re thrilled to be here,” Kurek told the group, saying he was surprised Lake County hadn”t already been chosen for a world-class event such as this.
“It”s perfect,” he said.
For more information on Triathlon One-O-One visitwww.trioneoone.com.
