The second annual all abilities kids triathlon was held in Forster over the weekend, and, according to Forster Tri Club’s Bruce Hopper, the event was a “spectacular success.”
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The weather threatened to dampen the mood, with early drizzle dominating the skyline, however this cleared just in time to make way for a beautiful sunny day.
“The great thing about the day was the spirit and mood of the event,” Bruce explained.
“There are a lot of significant triathlon events in Forster, and competitors in the club who compete in Hawaii, but this event was about a great group of parents teaching kids about health, sport and exercise.”
With a groundbreaking turnout of more than 50 kids, and the introduction of a grand arch at the finish line, the event had all the ingredients for success.
“The kids just loved it, running through the arch at the end put a smile on everyone’s faces,” Bruce continued.
“Then of course there was the barbecue at the end, for a lot of the kids it was all about that sausage sandwich and the free drink.”
Families travelled from far and wide to take part in the all inclusive event, from as far away as Gosford.
“There is one story from the day which, for me, highlighted exactly what the event is all about,” Bruce continued.
“One mother couldn’t get her daughter to jump into the water for the swimming leg of the race. It wasn’t an issue of her ability to swim, she just didn’t want to do it in front of all the people there.
“So this mother problem solved and took her daughter over to the far side of the pool so she could do the swim a little away from everyone, and she ended up finishing the whole thing with a big smile on her face.”
Bruce emphasised this was an example of the spirit of the day, which aimed to promote adaptability, inclusiveness and getting people moving.
The key message was removing the mindset of “I can’t do this,” and encouraging everyone to have a go.
“It was a great effort by all, a big thank you to all the sponsors that made it happen and made it such a great success,” Bruce added.
“Coming up in the next few months, we have a girls only triathlon in January, the beach bash in March, and of course the monthly races for all ages.
“You can find information on all of this and more at the Forster Tri Club website at http://forstertriclub.com.au/.”
