Sunday, August 17, 2008 at 8 am Vermilion OH
The Race...
The race starts at the shot of a gun as athletes begin their swim, running into the lake. The swim is crowded with a lot of pushing and kicking to get ahead in the challenging waters of Lake Erie.
The athletes exit the water. Running to the transition area, they quickly mount their bikes.
After the exhausting ride, the triathletes drop their bikes and leave for the last leg of the race, the run.
Main Street Vermilion announces it has entered into a partnership with HFP Racing to bring a Triathlon and Duathon to Vermilion. MSV will assist HFP with the organization, marketing and sponsorship of the event. MSV will receive half of sponsorship income to benefit its Main Street mission in Vermilion's Harbour Town.
The 17th annual Wheelie Fun Triathlon and Duathlon Series is America's longest running simultaneous triathlon and duathlon series. The 2008 Wheelie Fun Triathlon and Duathlon Series offers multisport athletes four great choices:
- Sprint distance triathlon (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run)
- Olympic distance triathlon (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run)
- Sprint distance duathlon (5km run, 20km bike, 5km run)
- Olympic distance duathlon (5km run, 40km bike, 10km run)
Throughout the summer, the series visits six beautiful venues around Ohio. The series culminates at Portage Lakes State Park on September 6-7. In addition to the Portage Lakes Triathlon and Duathlon, there is a Kids Triathlon and Duathlon, a Women's ONLY Triathlon, and Alan's Elite Race, in memory of Alan Boos.
So whether you're racing for an elite amateur title or giving racing a try for the first time, this series is for YOU! It's ALL ABOUT FUN! Wheelie Fun!
All races in the Wheelie Fun Triathlon and Duathlon Series are open to anyone wanting to take on the challenge, including the series championship on September 6-7. Good luck and see you at the finish!
The series heads north for stop number 5 in the beautiful harbor town of Vermilion, Ohio. Known best for its association with the largest one-day festival in Ohio – The Woollybear Festival, held every September. Multisport athletes will love the small town feel of this venue as they race through downtown Vermilion and tackle one of the most challenging courses in the series. Triathletes will be treated to a spectacular rectangle swim course (2-laps Olympic, 1-lap Sprint) off the private beach of Linwood Park. The Duathletes opening 5k run is out and back featuring a run through downtown Vermilion. The bike courses feature an out and back course for the sprint course and a demanding loop course for the Olympic distance course featuring two Vermilion River gorge crossings. The race finishes with an out and back run through downtown Vermilion with breathtaking shoreline views of Lake Erie for the entire course. This race is a perfect addition to the series and a must do for northern Ohio multisport athletes.
Course Info:
Sprint Tri/Du: 750m Swim/5k Run – 20k Bike – 5k Run
Olympic Tri/Du: 1500m Swim/5k Run – 40k Bike – 10k Run
Registration & Packet Pickup:
Saturday from 12:00pm - 5:00pm at the McGarvey's Landing by the Red Clay Restaurant and on race day from 6:00am to 7:30am at Linwood Park.
Red Clay is sponsoring a pasta dinner for the athletes and their families on Saturday 8/16 from 4:30pm to 7:00pm. Registered athletes receive a free meal. Additional meals may be purchased for $7.
There is NO RACE DAY REGISTRATION, packet pickup ONLY!
AMB Chip Pick-Up:
AMB Chip pickup is Sunday (race day) from 6:00 am - 7:30 am
*You must wear a chip in order to be timed and receive results after the event.
*You will be charged $100 for each lost or non-returned chip.
Race Packets:
All pre-registered participants will receive an official race technical t-shirt, water bottle, post race food and beverages and much more.
Awards:
The top three Elite Open and Elite Masters male and female in the sprint and Olympic races will receive medals. In addition, the top three in all age groups (15-19, 20-24…75+), Clydesdale, Athena, Mountain Bike, Aqua Bike and all relay teams divisions will receive medals.
Certification Information:
USAT Sanctioned
Volunteers Needed:
HFP Racing is currently seeking volunteers and athletes for the Vermilion Harbour Triathlon and Duathon to take place on Sunday, August 17, 2008. To volunteer please contact Staicey Scholtz at ylwlabs@roadrunner.com, 440-829-2639 or 440-967-4001.
The History...
Triathlon’s roots can be traced back to 1974, Mission Bay, Southern California where a group of friends began training together. Amongst them were runners, swimmers and cyclists and before long training sessions turned into informal races. Directed and conceived by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan the first Mission Bay Triathlon was held on September 25th 1974 and welcomed 46 athletes. Triathlon’s foundations had been set!.
In Hawaii, 1978, an argument arose regarding which of the three disciplines required the greatest endurance. At that time Hawaii hosted The Waikiki Rough Water Swim (2.4 miles), The Oahu Bike Race (112 miles) and The Honolulu Marathon (26.2 miles). Originally events in themselves, they were rolled into one to become the ‘Hawaii Ironman Triathlon.’ The event attracted 15 athletes and of them only 12 crossed the finish line. By 1982 the Hawaii Ironman gained extensive coverage on ABC World Wide Sport and participation levels had increased to 580 competitors. Last year over 3000 athletes completed the grueling challenge. The fastest women finish the course in just under nine hours and the fastest men finishing in little over eight hours!
Today the sport of triathlon is growing at a rapid pace. There are triathlon clubs in almost every major city and thousands of races are held every year across the globe.
Click Here for more information & to register.
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The Location: Linwood Park, Vermilion
Linwood Park, on the shores of Lake Erie, is a summer cottage community in Vermilion, Ohio. Inside its gates Linwood Park is a world away from the modern, fast paced world of today's society. It is a peaceful and quiet place, that time never changes.
It was founded in 1884 by members of the Evangelical Association as a place to hold Sunday School assemblies, church conferences, and other religious services, in a Chautauqua-like setting.
Today, Linwood is a park of privately owned cottages, with a beach and many other amenities.
Long time cottage owners and visitors love to "step back in time" at Linwood. A beautiful sandy beach on Lake Erie, 100 year old cottages, "The Stand" ice cream store, bicycle rides and walks make Linwood a relaxing destination for generations of families.
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Vermilion Voted One Of Best New Races In '08
From April through August, licensed amateur triathletes will compete in their state's designated USAT-sanctioned, sprint or international distance Qualifying Race. Male and female winners will be named Best of Their State and the right to compete at the designated Finals Championship Race.
The "Best of the US" Amateur Triathlete Competition brings nationwide attention to amateur racing and athletes; provides recognition to America's best amateurs and supports their continued excellence as citizen athletes; honors, encourages and supports continued training and racing by citizens of all abilities, by bringing attention to prominent amateurs; creates excitement, drama and motivation via inter-state rivalries; creates heroes by annually introducing to the public 100 highly accomplished triathletes in whom to invest emotionally; and creates an "accomplishment path" and for first and second tier amateurs, youth and juniors.
The Championship Race is a highly publicized exhibition event featuring grand staging, a festival atmosphere, a Parade of States competitor entry, and individual recognition for each State Representative. Winners of the Championship Race will be named "Best of the U.S. Amateur Triathletes."
The Top 10 Individuals and Top 5 Fastest State Teams receive awards, with unique, modern Waterford crystal awards to the top 3.
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Hector Vega Commissioned For Vermilion Harbour Triathlon/Duathon Artwork
Main Street Vermilion announces it has commissioned Hector Vega, acclaimed artist, to design a formal art piece commemorating the Vermilion Harbour Triathlon/Duathon. The piece will be used to award sponsors and athletes during Vermilion's first triathlon/duathon to held on Sunday, August 17, in Vermilion Ohio. Reproductions of the piece will be offered by the Vermilion Arts Guild with limited editions.
Celebrated artist-entrepreneur Hector Vega was born in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. A self-taught artist, his signature style—featuring bold colors and geometric patterns—is influenced by his cultural heritage.
During the past 15 years, Vega’s artwork has progressively matured into visually stimulating pieces that embody life and energy through the balance of strong design, color and depth.
His art can be found in numerous private, corporate and educational institution collections across the United States.
A firm believer in volunteerism, community involvement, and the advancement of the arts, Vega is known for his artistic contributions to numerous local and national charitable, civic, and non-profit organizations. He sits on several arts- and community-related boards, and his work has won numerous awards, both in the U.S. and abroad.
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Artist, Teacher, Mother Manages Healthy Lifestyle On A Grand Scale
Talented artist, teacher
and mother, 40 year old
Yvonne Saul-Craigo
juggles a very active life
while managing to
maintain a healthy life-
style that would leave
most exhausted. Work-
ing as a substitute
teacher and Girls Track
Coach at Avon Lake
High School, she is also
a personal trainer at
EMH center for Health
and Fitness. Yvonne
trains many clients and
triathletes to compete in
their first races and to
improve themselves.
Growing up in Avon Lake, Yvonne went to Avon Lake City Schools where she played basketball and ran cross-country and track. She was a part of, and at the beginning edge of, Avon Lake's strong tradition in distance running. Two of Yvonne's cross country teams went to state in 1984 and 1985.
Yvonne said the highlight of her High school career came in track in 1986 when she held the fastest time in the state in the 800 meters for most of the season and anchored the Shoregals state runner up 4x800 meter relay.
"Our relay team also set a new national record in the 4x1600 meter relay," stated Yvonne.
Yvonne received an athletic scholarship to attend Kent State University and run track and cross-country. She left Kent with a degree in Art Education and earned varsity letters in track and CC each year.
After Kent Yvonne taught Art and coached track and basketball at Nordonia Hills city schools. When her daughter (Whitney) and son (Clay) were born in 1995 and 1997, she took time off from teaching and coaching and began to focus on raising her young family and a new athletic endeavor as a triathlete.
Yvonne competed at her first Olympic Distance Triathlon at the age of 30 and has not stopped since.
The highlights of her triathlon career include:
- WON MANY LOCAL TRIATHLONS AND DUATHLONS
- 8th OVERALL AMATUR AT THE ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ TRIATHLON IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA 2004
- 1ST OVERALL PINEMAN HALF IRONMAN 2003
- 2ND OVERALL ELITE MUNCIE ENDURATHON 2003
- 3RD OVERALL PITTSBURGH TRIATHLON 2002
- INDUCTED INTO THE AVON LAKE SPORTS HALL OF FAME 2003
- USA TRIATHLON AGE GROUP ALL AMERICAN IN 03-04-05
- IRONMAN FLORIDA (FINISHER) 2005
In 2006 Yvonne suffered a tear in her medial meniscus keeping her from competing in 2007. She raced a few races and then broke her right foot.
Determined to get back in the game, Yvonne said, "I hope to be up and running for 2008 and racing in Vermilion this August."
In 2003 Yvonne met Daniel Smith before competing in the Cleveland Triathlon as a professional. Daniel came to work with Yvonne at EMH and together they started a triathlon team and marathon group. The team has trained 40+ people to compete in either triathlon or endurance races. Dan and Yvonne do much of their training together in Vermillion where Daniel lives. While open water swimming, biking and running together throughout Vermilion, they often talked about what a beautiful venue it would be for a Triathlon. When Daniel became a race director in 2007 he was able to team up with HFP Racing to bring a triathlon to Vermillion.
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About Triathlons
A triathlon is an endurance sports event consisting of swimming, cycling and running over various distances. In most modern triathlons, these events are placed back-to-back in immediate sequence and a competitor's official time includes the time required to "transition" between the individual legs of the race, including any time necessary for changing clothes and shoes. As a result, proficiency in swimming, cycling, and running alone is not sufficient to guarantee a triathlete a competitive time: trained triathletes have learned to race each stage in a way that preserves their energy and endurance for subsequent stages.
Triathletes tend to be extraordinarily fit, and many amateur athletes choose triathlon specifically for its fitness benefits. Because all three events are endurance sports, nearly all of triathlon training is cardiovascular exercise. In addition, since triathletes must train for three different disciplines, they tend to have more balanced whole-body muscular development than pure cyclists or runners, whose training emphasizes only a subset of their musculature.
Swimming
Triathletes competing in the swim component of race. Wetsuits are common but not universal. Triathletes will use their legs less vigorously and more carefully than other swimmers, conserving their leg muscles for the cycle and run to follow. Many triathletes use altered swim strokes to compensate for turbulent, aerated water and to conserve energy for a long swim. In addition, the majority of triathlons involve open-water (outdoor) swim stages, rather than pools with lane markers. As a result, triathletes in the swim stage must jockey for position, and can gain some advantage by drafting, following a competitor closely to swim in their slipstream. Triathletes will often use "dolphin kicking" and diving to make headway against waves, and body surfing to use a wave's energy for a bit of speed at the end of the swim stage. Also, open-water swims necessitate "sighting": raising the head to look for landmarks or buoys that mark the course. A modified stroke allows the triathlete to lift the head above water to sight without interrupting the swim or wasting energy.
Because open water swim areas are often cold, and because wearing a wetsuit provides a competitive advantage, specialized triathlon wetsuits have been developed in a variety of styles to match the conditions of the water. Wetsuits are only legal in sanctioned events with a water temperature equal to or below 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.5 degrees Celsius). Some events allow wetsuits regardless of water temperature, and sometimes they are required. Or, in a single event, wetsuits may be allowed for "age groupers" but not for professionals, as the temperature rules differ slightly between the two groups.
Cycling
Triathlon cycling, with the exception of Olympic triathlon and ITU World Cup races, is very different from most professional bicycle racing because it does not allow drafting, so racers do not cluster in a peloton. It more closely resembles individual time trial racing. Triathlon bicycles are generally optimized for aerodynamics, having special handlebars called "aero-bars" or "tri-bars", aerodynamic wheels, and other components. Triathlon bikes use a specialized geometry, including a steep seat-tube angle both to improve aerodynamics and spare muscle groups needed for running. At the end of the bike segment, triathletes also often cycle with a higher "cadence" (revolutions per minute), which serves in part to keep the muscles loose and flexible for running. It is believed, though, that the primary benefit to spinning in a triathlon is that the strain of the effort is placed disproportionately on the slow twitch muscle fibers, preventing the athlete from accumulating an oxygen debt before the run.
Running
The primary distinguishing feature of running in a triathlon is that it occurs after the athlete has already been exercising in two other disciplines for an extended period of time, so many muscles are already tired. The effect of switching from cycling to running can be profound; first-time triathletes are often astonished at the bizarre, sometimes painful sensation in their thighs a few hundred yards into the run, and discover that they run at a much slower pace than they are accustomed to in training. Triathletes train for this phenomenon through transition workouts or "bricks": back-to-back workouts involving two disciplines, most commonly cycling and running. (The term "brick" has multiple claims of origination/derivation. Among those is the derivation from a partial anagram of Bike-Run. Also, it may simply be a descriptive term for how your legs feel for the first part of the run. Another is credited to Mark Sisson and Scott Zagarino (1988), who associated the term brick with the idea of "Just another brick in the wall"... as noted in a song by the group "Pink Floyd". Another association of this term has been claimed to originate from a New Zealand athlete by the name of Matt Brick.)
HOW IT WORKS
In a typical triathlon, event organizers take advantage of a host town's hospitality. Major races require athletes to register and attend a race briefing the day before the actual race. This race briefing details the course, the rules, and any problems to look out for (road conditions, closures, traffic lights, aid stations). At registration the racers are provided a race number, colored swimming cap, and, if the event is being electronically timed, a timing band. Often racers are also given competitor wrist bands that allow them in and out of the transition area or other athlete-only areas. At a major event, such as an Ironman or a Long Course Championship, triathletes are required to set up their bike in the transition area the day before and leave it overnight under guard.
For shorter distances the racers arrive at the venue about an hour (or more) before the race is to begin. They register and receive their swim cap and number, then proceed to set up their spot in the transition area. For most races, competitors have their race number marked on their arms and legs, along with having their age group marked on their calf.
In the transition areas, athletes will generally be provided with a rack to hold their bicycle and a small section of ground space for shoes, clothing, etc. Generally, transition spots are allocated to racers by their competition number, though in some events, athletes choose their spot in the transition area on a first-come, first-served basis. In some races, the bicycle stage does not finish in the same place it begins, so athletes set up two transition areas: one for the swim-to-bike transition, and one for the bike-to-run transition.
Racers are generally categorized into separate professional and amateur categories. Amateurs, who make up the large majority of triathletes, are often referred to as "age groupers" since they are typically further classified by sex and age. One feature that has helped to boost the popularity of such a complex, time-intensive sport is the opportunity to compete against others of one's own gender and age group. The age groups are defined in five or ten year intervals.
In some triathlons, amateur athletes may have the option to compete against others in heavier-weight divisions. "Clydesdale" athletes are generally those men over 200 pounds, while "Athena" athletes are generally women over 150 pounds. These weight based divisions are not officially sanctioned in any of the professional or Olympic events.
As in most marathons and other competitive endurance sport events, there is typically a lower age limit, though many races have been organized to allow children and teens to compete in their own categories.
After setting up their transition areas, athletes don their swim gear and head to the swim area (usually a lake, river, or ocean) for the race start. Depending on the water temperature, swimmers may be permitted to wear a wetsuit - triathlon specific wetsuits are now common. Depending on the type and size of the race, there may be any of the following methods implemented to start the race. Mass starts, traditional in full distance events, see all the athletes enter the water at a single start signal. In wave start events, smaller groups of athletes begin the race every few minutes. An athlete's wave is usually determined either by age group or by predicted swim time. Wave starts are more common in shorter races where a large number of amateur athletes are competing. Another option is individual time trial starts, where athletes enter the water one at a time, usually 3 to 5 seconds apart.
The swim leg usually proceeds around a series of marked buoys and exits the water near the transition area. Racers run out of the water, enter the transition area, and attempt to change from their swim gear into their cycling gear as rapidly as possible. In some races, tents were provided for changing clothes. However, competition and pressure for time has led to the development of specialized triathlon clothing that is adequate for both swimming and cycling, meaning many racers' transitions consist of little more than removing wetsuit and goggles and pulling on a helmet and cycling shoes. In some cases, racers leave shoes attached to their bicycle pedals and slip their feet into them while riding. Some triathletes don't wear socks, decreasing their time in transition even more.
The cycling stage proceeds around a marked course, nearly always on public roads. In many cases, especially smaller triathlons, the roads are not closed to automobiles, though marshals are often present to help control traffic. Typically, the cycling stage finishes back at the same transition area. Racers enter the transition area, rack their bicycles, and quickly change into running shoes before heading out for the final stage. The running stage, also typically held on public roads, usually ends at a separate finish line near the transition area.
In most races, "aid stations" located on the bike and run courses provide water and energy drinks to the athletes as they pass by. Aid stations at longer events will often provide various types of food as well, including such items as energy bars, gels, fruit, cookies, and ice.
Once the triathletes have completed the event, there is typically another aid station for them to get water, fruit, cookies, and other post-race goodies. At the end of most larger or longer events, the provisions and post-race celebrations may be more elaborate - ranging from ice cream and professional massage tents to cookouts and barbecues.
RULES OF TRIATHLON
Traditionally, triathlon is an individual sport: each athlete is competing against the course and the clock for the best time. As such, athletes are not allowed to receive assistance from anyone else inside or outside the race, with the exception of race-sanctioned aid volunteers who distribute food and water on the course. This also means that team tactics, such as drafting, a cycling tactic in which several riders cluster closely to reduce the air resistance of the group, are not allowed.
This has begun to change with the introduction of triathlon into the Olympic Games. Many Olympic-distance races, including the Olympics themselves and ITU World Cup events, now allow drafting during the cycling stage. This change has sparked extensive debate among the triathlon community, with supporters feeling that it brings triathlon rules closer in line with international cycling rules and practices, and opponents feeling that drafting has the potential to negate gains achieved by an individual in the swim, and gains an individual would have the potential to achieve during the cycling leg. Drafting has become the standard format for professional-level ITU events and the Olympics. However, the majority of amateur events retain the non-drafting format.
Triathlons are timed in sections: 1) from the start of the swim to the beginning of the first transition (swim time); 2) from the beginning of the first transition to the end of the first transition (T1 time); 3) from the start of the cycling to the end of the cycling leg (cycling time); 4) from the beginning of the second transition to the end of the second transition (T2 time); 5) and finally from the start of the run to the end of the run, at which time the triathlon is completed. Results are usually posted on official websites and will show for each triathlete his/her swim time; cycle time (with transitions included); run time; and total time. Some races also post transition times separately.
Other rules of triathlon vary from race to race and generally involve descriptions of allowable equipment (such as wetsuits, which are allowed in the swimming stage of some races -- generally when the water temperature is below 78 degrees Fahrenheit or 26 °C), and prohibitions against interference between athletes.
One important rule involving the cycle leg is that the competitor must be wearing their bike helmet before the competitor mounts the bike and must remain on until the competitor has dismounted; the competitor may remove their helmet at any time as long as they are not on the bicycle (i.e. while repairing a mechanical problem). Failure to comply with this rule will result in disqualification.
Additionally, while on the bike course, a competitor is required to ride their bicycle at all times. Should a competitor's bike malfunction they can proceed with the race as long as they are doing so with their bicycle in tow.
