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WESTPORT, Conn. Children from Westport, Weston and several other nearby towns swam, rode and ran Sunday in the second annual Strong Kids Triathlon. The event at Staples High School benefitted the Westport Weston Family Y's annual Strong Kids campaign, which allows the Y to fulfill its charitable mission.
Kids competed in two age groups. The 6-9-year-old boys and girls swam 75 meters, rode a 1 ¼-mile bike loop and finished with a half-mile run. Kids ages 10-and-up swam 150 meters, rode for 2 ½ miles and finished with a 1-mile run. Kids under 6-years-old ran 100 meters.
"I laid out the bike route which goes around both Staples High School and Bedford Middle School and I worried that it might be too challenging for some of the youngest participants, some of whom looked like they had just started cycling,'' said Ron Wimer, the co-chair of the Family Y's Strong Kids campaign. "A 1 ¼-mile ride can be a very long distance when you're biking with training wheels. But I forgot about the grit and determination of Westport 6-year-olds. These kids were determined to finish even if they weren't sure how to brake on the downhill. True, we had a few falls and more than a couple of skinned elbows, but almost all the 6-9-year-olds who started the bike race finished."
The top finishers among girls ages 6-9 were Taylor Graham, Sophie Momliem, Samantha Wagner, Caroline Ward, Esme Hunter, Emily Grob, Sophie Machoman, Logan Sibilio and Mather Davidson. The top boys in the 6-9 group were Benjamin Clachko, Julian Wong, Colin Corneck, Lucas Amlicke, Danny Duffy, Oscar Petersen and Callum Wisher.
For girls 10-and-up, top competitors included Rachel Gelfand, Sorcha Maddison, Mia Fraas, Georgina Morrison and Deirdre Grob. Top times among boys 10-and-up were posted by Billy Duffy, Jackson Daines, Charlie West, Daniel Brill, Robert Constantine, Jacob West, John McNab and Cole Prowitt-Smith.
Wimer was impressed by the competitiveness and determination of the children. "As I watched the older kids set up their bikes and lay out their shoes by the pool, I thought I was watching a group of serious athletes prepare for an Ironman race,'' he said. "I was partially right: the kids were serious. They were there to compete; they were there to medal. And they all seemed to be with a buddy whom they wanted to beat."
TD Bank joined the event this year as the lead sponsor. Other sponsors included Advanced Radiology Consultants, 1-800 Plumber of Stamford, Willows Pediatrics, Bobby Q's and Cycle Dynamics.
Contact Tom Renner at trenner@mainstreetconnect.us.
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