The Junior Tri VI Committee, a subgroup of the V.I. Triathlon Federation, held a run/bike/run event on Sunday, Feb. 11, within the park at Altona Lagoon in Christiansted. The Silly Sockathlon Junior Duathlon brought out several first-time racers; 33 kids toed the line in four different age groups: 5-6, 7-8, 9-11 and 12-15.
The 5-6-year-old athletes started with a .25-mile run, then jumped on their bikes for the .5-mile loop around the park, then finished with another .25-mile run. Benjamin Heaney was first place male in a time of 9:02. Luca Donahue was second and Hunter Whitworth was third. Hanako Sanders was the first female, followed by Piper Elison.
Wyatt Jarrin dominated the 7-8 division while completing a .25-mile run, a 1-mile bike and a .5-mile run in a time of 12:50. Tuf Donohoo was second in 13:34 and Michael Kuczynski was third. Milly Leo nudged out Hadley Whitworth at the line, both with a finishing time of 16:09. Charley Gay was third.
Zavier Saleem led the 9-11 division from the start, with a time of 3:55 on the first .5-mile run. He continued with the 1-mile bike and second .5-mile run and crossed the line in 14:12. Dane Whitworth was second in 16:15 and Riley Iubelt was third in 17:44. Emma Whitworth the first female; Cailtlin Kuzcynski was second and Avery Vaughan was third.
The small group of 12-15-year-old athletes hit the ground running with a .5-mile run to start. Vedant Mittal, age 15, had not participated in a Junior Tri VI event since third grade, and he will age out after Sunday’s race.
For his final opportunity to participate, Mittal took control of the race on the final run to beat out his track teammate from GHCDS by over three minutes. Mittal’s time was 28:35. Kolebert Daisley was second, completing the .5-mile run/3-mile bike/1-mile run in an overall time of 31:57. Ava Whitworth, in her first time racing in the 12-15 category, was the first place female. Sariah Elison was second.
The top three in each division were awarded medals, while all participants received finishers’ ribbons and goody bags.
The next Junior Tri VI event will be held at 8 a.m. on Sunday, April 7, at the Good Hope Country Day School.
The committee will be hosting a free skills clinic for juniors to make the upcoming triathlon more successful. The group will not be teaching the kids how to swim or ride a bike, but rather skills to make their race experience better. The Junior Triathlon (swim/bike/run) is set for April 21 at Cramer’s Park.
For more information, call 513-2707 or email theresa@vitf.org.
