Legendary triathlete Chrissie Wellington MBE says a junior charity event organised by The Children’s Centre is a great way to encourage youngsters to take up the sport. The Junior Triathlon event will be held in Ramsey on Sunday July 27 to raise funds for the charity’s services which help families and children across the Island. It is sponsored by Integrated Capabilities Ltd and is open to children aged between 8 and 14 years old.
The four-time Ironman World Champion, who visited the Island last November to support a fundraising event for The Children’s Centre, said:
“It’s fantastic that The Children’s Centre are organising this Junior Triathlon. Triathlon is a sport for all ages, no matter how young or old, and I know this event will play a hugely important role in generating a lifelong passion for the sport amongst children and maybe even producing some champions of the future. Good luck to everyone who takes part!”
The Children’s Centre’s Junior Triathlon begins at 9am on July 27 at the Northern Swimming Pool in Ramsey (in the 25metre pool), followed by a bike ride on the wide Ramsey Promenade footpath on a marked out 700metre circuit. The triathlon then finishes with a run on a 550metre course on the field around Ramsey Rugby Club.
There will be competitions in 4 age groups and each child will be asked to wear a particular coloured tee-shirt to denote which group they are in. Children will be given tee-shirts which they can then keep as mementoes of the event. It’s being run under British Triathlon Federation (BTF) rules and the distances for each age group are the maximum allowed by the BTF.
8 years (blue tee-shirts): Swim – 50metres (2 lengths); Cycle – 700metres (1 lap); Run – 550metres (1 lap)
9 to 10 years (green tee-shirts): Swim – 150metres (6 lengths); Cycle – 3.5kms (5 laps); Run – 1.1kms (2 laps)
11 to 12 years (yellow tee-shirts): Swim – 200metres (8 lengths); Cycle – 4.9kms (7 laps); Run – 1.65kms (3 laps)
13 to 14 years (red tee-shirts): Swim – 300metres (12 lengths); Cycle – 6.3kms (9 laps); Run – 2.2kms (4 laps)
Under BTF rules, qualification for each age group is defined by the age that the child will be on December 31, 2014. For example, if a child is 8-years-old on the day of the event – but will be 9-years-old on December 31 this year – then they will take part in the 9 to 10 years age group.
There will be no winners’ prizes, but all children will receive a medal for taking part, and there will also be electronic timing including a printout of each child’s finishing time. The entry fee is ?10 and participants will also be asked to raise a minimum of ?25 in sponsorship for The Children’s Centre. To sign-up, or for more information, go to http://www.thechildrenscentre.org.im/adventure-events/ or contact Lisa Motley by emailing lisamotley@thechildrenscentre.org.im or phoning 676076.
Photo - Chrissie Wellington MBE (fourth from right) with a group who took part in a Children’s Centre fundraising cycle ride when the triathlon legend visited the Island last November.
