Whitefish Lake Triathlon coming Aug. 19

By DAVID ERICKSON

Whitefish Pilot

Iron men and women, get your game face on — the annual Whitefish Lake Triathlon is coming this Sunday.

The race consists of a .5-mile swim, a 12.4-mile bike stint and a 3.1-mile run. The action starts at 9 a.m. sharp, Aug. 19 at the far right side of Whitefish City Beach. More than $1,000 in raffle prizes will be awarded at about noon. Team categories include men, women, mixed and teams whose combined ages tally 110 years or more. You can contact event organizers prior to the race if you need a swimmer, biker or runner to complete your team.

The water portion is a point-to-point swim, starting at City Beach and proceeding across the small bay to a buoy. Swimmers come back to the right corner of the public swim area. Organizers of the triathlon are advising people to bring wetsuits in case the water temperature is chilly due to high winds.

The bike portion is a scenic 20-k out-and-back route traveling along Whitefish Lake. The first and last four miles are flat and fast. The middle four miles are challenging hills with turns that will test your conditioning and bike-handling skills.

The run is a 5-k starting and ending at Whitefish City Beach. Most of the course is on quiet city streets, traveling mostly on Dakota Avenue to Whitefish Lake Lodge and back. There is a map available at the Kalispell Athletic Club for more details.

T-shirts, barbecue and beverages will be provided after the race. There is an entry fee of $38 for solo participants and $96 for teams. Awards will go to the top three men and women in all age groups.

Whitefish City Beach is located on the south end of Whitefish Lake in Whitefish. For more information contact the Kalispell Athletic Club at (406) 752-2880 or Stan Watkins at (406) 253-4103, or you may e-mail questions to kac@digisys.net.