A new way for younger racers to take part in the Dodge City X off-road triathlon has just been announced.
The organizers of the Cumberland-based event announced the addition of a new youth relay category, which brings the race experience to racers under 16 for the first time.
鈥淲e have to follow Triathlon Canada鈥檚 age guidelines, which prohibit anyone under 16 from doing our solo triathlon,鈥� says race director Ryan Parton. 鈥淚 often get asked if younger athletes can participate and I hate turning them away, so when one of our sponsors suggested we launch a relay version of our shorter sprint course, we jumped all over it.鈥�
The race takes place on Sept. 6 in Cumberland. For years it has been a favourite of adult athletes, and has just opened to the younger cohort of swimmers, mountain bikers and trail runners.
The youth sprint triathlon features a 750 metre swim in Comox Lake, a technical 12 km mountain bike course and a challenging five km trail run through the forested hills of Cumberland. The event is open to teams of two or three participants, although team members must be at least 16 by the end of this year to participate in more than one discipline.
Though the event is open to teens as young as 13, Parton advises that participants should be competent swimmers, mountain bikers or runners, noting that the swim is entirely in deep water and the bike and run courses can be challenging.
鈥淥ur goal is to deliver a safe, fun and overwhelmingly positive experience for all,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f anyone wants to chat with me about the course or about suitability, they can contact me through our website and I鈥檓 happy to help.鈥�
There will also be a non-competitive version of the race for those youngsters who just want the experience. The "Just 4 Fun" sprint relay uses the same course, but is open to anyone over the age of 13. This means families, friends and more.
鈥淩ace with your kids, your friends, your extended family 鈥� whoever you want to spend some time with sweating in the woods and living your best life, sign up and bring them along,鈥� Parton says.
Of course, the full competitive Dodge City X standard triathlon is still on the table. The race will serve as the BC Cross Triathlon Championship, as well as a qualifier for the 2026 World Multisport Championship in Abu Dhabi.
For more information or to register for the race visit .
