Dolphin diving, guzzling water on the run, donning shoes with sandy feet, and buoy turns while being splashed and jostled were a just few of the courses this weekend at Magens Bay as 81 5- to 15-year-olds were schooled in the fine art of triathlon technique in preparation for the Rotary Sunrise Kids Triathlon coming up on Saturday, May 12.
Accomplished triathlete Jude Woodcock of St. John and one of the organizers of the Love City Triathlon took the youngsters through the mental and physical preparation required to complete a triathlon, starting with looking at the sport as a way to "have fun," while being safe and healthier from the experience.
"Just remind yourselves of three things," she told the bathing suit-clad youngsters before splitting them into three groups to work with specialists in swimming, biking and running."Keep it safe, keep it fun and keep it simple."
Several of Saturday’s participants had competed in the Rotary Sunrise Kids Triathlon in 2011. But for most, last May’s inaugural event was their very first triathlon experience.
Saturday’s clinic was Rotary Sunrise’s free offering to build confidence and skills for the real thing in May.
"After seeing the turnout today, we need to make the clinics part of the series of events leading up to the Kids Tri," said Rotary Sunrise president Nigel Bailey, surveying the dozens of kids, parents and volunteers – all smiling from ear to ear – scattered across the western end of Magens Bay park.
Triathlete Morgan Locke, who represented the Virgin Islands at the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2010 and 2011 Pan Am Games, was on hand to serve as an example of what can be done with determination and practice. Locke offered words of encouragement as the day kicked off.
Team leaders were established for teaching each component: Mary Malone, director of the St. Thomas Swimming Association led the swimming; cyclist Walter Bostwick assisted by ironman triathlete Paul Cassot from Lake Placid led the biking component and Shane DeGannes, track coach at the International Academy, worked the running leg.
Groups were established by ages as they will be broken out for the triathlon. Five to 8 year-olds, 9 to 11 year-olds and 12 to 15 year-olds rotated between the swim, bike and run stations.
Anything goes with the 5- to 8-year-old set. Some who can’t quite swim yet got buoyancy assistance from bright orange life jackets. And several of the littlest bicyclists had help with training wheels. One tiny boy even rode his three-wheeled Big Wheel to the delight of the volunteer onlookers. And he was faster than some of the two-wheelers, according to Bostwick.
But some faced mechanical challenges as opposed to assistance. Joyia Ward, 6, of Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, completed her bicycle exercises – racing undeterred down the bumpy, sandy road adjacent to the beach – missing a pedal on one side of her bike and a training wheel on the other. Her mother, taxi driver Jennifer Carty, whose 9-year-old son also participated in the clinic, said with obvious pride in her daughter’s determination, "This is good for them; they need this."
Scotiabank is a major sponsor of the Rotary Sunrise Kids Triathlon. The Fruit Bowl has contributed to all the events including last year’s triathlon, a mini-tri for 16-year-olds and above held in February as well as Saturday’s clinic.
Thirteen schools and one home school were represented: Tuitt, Dober, Joseph Sibilly, Ulla Mueller and Gladys Abraham Elementary Schools, Montessori, The International Academy, All Saints Cathedral School along with Wesleyan and Calvary Academies, Charlotte Amalie High School and Addelita Cancryn Junior High School all had students in the swim, bike and run tutorials.
More than 60 volunteers from Rotary and across the community were on hand to assure the safety of all involved.
For more information on the upcoming Rotary Sunrise Kids Triathlon or to volunteer, call Susan MacFarland-Helton at 340-244-5222 or Shaun Pennington at 340-777-8144.