After an absence of a year, the Love City Triathlon and Aquathon return to St. John for the 13th time on Sept. 2. It starts at 7 a.m.
Jude Woodcock, who is one of the event organizers, said she was very surprised to learn after the triathlon was canceled last year how disappointed everyone was.
“People are offering to help us,” she said.
The St. John Landsharks, which hosts the triathlon, called off last year’s event because a number of the key members of the race committee were off- island. And Woodcock said last year that some of those people were burned out.
This year’s event features a new course with all segments beginning and ending at Maho Bay Beach. In previous years, it started at Maho Bay Beach and ended at the Annaberg Plantation parking lot.
“We’re trying to make it easier on the organizers,” Woodcock said.
She said having the start and finish in the same place takes less volunteers.
With the triathlon only about five weeks away, it’s not too early to start getting ready.
The triathletes will swim a half mile in Maho Bay, bike to Cruz Bay, up Centerline Road to the Colombo yogurt stand and then go down Kings Hill to finish back at Maho Bay. The new and challenging four-mile run will be an out-and-back to Maho Bay.
The aquathoners will swim the same half-mile course as those participating in the triathlon and then run three miles to and from Maho Bay.
Woodcock said the running course isn’t quite set, but she said it will include the infamous stairs that lead from the parking lot to Annaberg Plantation. Unlike the old flat running course, Woodcock said the new course includes a few hills.
Participants in the triathlon can do all three legs competing as an individual or form a relay team with one or two other athletes and each compete in one or two legs. Participants cannot compete as an individual plus be a member of a relay team and they cannot be a member of more than one relay team.
The entry fee for triathletes and aquathoners is $40. The first five finishers will get awards. The entry fee for each member on a relay team is $35. The top three teams will get awards.
All participants will get a t-shirt, a finisher’s award, support on the course, and a post-race beach picnic.
The inter-island competition is open to all residents of the Caribbean. A team must have three members doing the triathlon as individuals, and the team must have at least one female. The team with the top three combined lowest time is declared the winner and will have their island’s name mounted on a trophy, which is displayed in the establishment of a sponsor. In 2010 there was no inter-island winner, but St. Croix so far has the most wins thus far.
Love City Triathlon and Aquathon will be open only to 100 participants so don’t wait until the last minute to sign up. If the race must be rescheduled due to bad weather, there will be no refunds.
On-line registration is now open at www.stjohnlandsharks.com. For those registering on-line, the race fee may be paid the night before at the pre-race meeting at Maho Bay Camps.
Alternatively, registration forms can be picked up on St. John at the Tap Room, on St. Thomas at Caribbean Surf Co. and on St. Croix at Stamina Sports.
There will be no registration on the morning of the race.
Registered participants can take advantage of one complimentary night stay at Maho Bay Camps on Sept. 1, which is the night before the event. The complimentary night applies to the tent cottages. To make a reservation, contact Maho Bay Camps at 715-0500 and mention that you are participating in the triathlon. The deadline to take advantage of this offer is Aug. 30.
Race numbers and t-shirts must be picked up between 4 and 5:30 p.m. Sept. 1 at Maho Bay Camps. This is also the last opportunity to sign up for the race if space is still available. There will be a mandatory pre-race meeting at 5:30 pm.
For more information, contact Louise Wearmouth at louise@surfbvi.com or Woodcock at woodjudecock@hotmail.com or 340-779-1416.
