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“Yes and no,’’ race director Jon Stellwagen said when asked if he was surprised by race’s quick growth. “The sport has grown like crazy since we started it (in 2008). Kids In Crisis (the beneficiary of the race) is a great agency. So many people have put so much into it. The city of Stamford is a phenomenal resource, and they do everything they can for this event to get it to what it has become. It has moved from a local mom-and-pop deal to a large scale city event.”
The new features for 2014 race, which will be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22, are the signing of Navigators Group, Inc as the title sponsor, the addition of the Sprint triathlon and turning the two-loop run course into one single loop. The event begins Saturday with a kids triathlon. The Olympic distance and Sprint distance races will be held Sunday. Athletes of all ages can find out more information and register online.
Kids in Crisis got a terrific financial boost when Navigators Group, Inc., an international specialty insurance holding company, signed on for five years as the title sponsor. The company moved its headquarters a few blocks from the finish line in Mill River Park last year.
Stellwagen said the race committee developed the idea to start a Sprint event, which consists of a half mile swim, 13.9 mile bike ride and 3.1 mile run.
“From a logistical standpoint, it will work out great,’’ Stellwagen said. “It will mesh really well with the Olympic race. The sprint distance is a nice option for the beginner. With the Olympic distance, you have limitations on who can do it and who can’t.”
The other significant change Stellwagen built into this year’s race is a new single loop running course for the Olympic race. The course heads down Washington Boulevard and onto Long Ridge Road. It loops back Clover Hill Drive and on to Stillwater Road, where it will pass E. Gaynor Brennan Golf Course. It comes back to Mill River on West Broad Street.
“We changed the swim last year, and that got great reviews,’’ Stellwagen said. “The bike course (also changed in 2013) got great reviews. I think listening to triathletes in our post race survey has helped in strengthen the event. They enjoy all aspects of it, from the beautiful beach start at Cummings, to city streets and finally the beauty of North Stamford.”
Stellwagen said the Olympic distance triathlon is capped at 600, and hopes to have close to 200 for the Sprint event. He also feels, however, that there could be room for even more growth.
“We want to get more exposure for Kids In Crisis,’’ Stellwagen said. “That might have to be outside the weekend. We don’t want to take away from the existing races. We’ve hit 600 for the Olympic race, but we could get as many as 800 or 1,000. We want to make sure everything goes well before we think about trying to add more competitors.”
Kids races begin Saturday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m., at Cove Beach. Children will be grouped into three waves. The Olympic distance begins at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 22, the Sprint distance athletes will start 30 minutes after the final wave of Olympic triathletes, around 7:15 a.m.
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