Rains Hold Off, Mamaroneck Jr. Tri-athletes Shine

See Race Results Below

by Jennifer Conley, Mam'k Schools Foundation; photos by capstonephoto.com

(October 2, 2008) The organizers of the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation Junior Triathlon were understandably anxious about the threatening weather on the morning of Saturday, September 27. If it drizzled, they would have to cancel the bike portion; if it poured rain, they would have to cancel the whole thing. Luckily, it did neither. The clouds held and more than 250 local kids got to enjoy all three legs of the Jr. Triathlon as planned.

Green-shirted volunteers organize orange-headed swimmers for the first leg of the junior triathlon.

At 8:30 am, the youngest tri-athletes (7 and 8 year olds!) splashed their way through the swimming leg of the race at Hommocks Pool. Then they moved to the transition area outside of the pool and put on their shoes and bicycle helmets. They headed out through Flint Park to a bike course in Larchmont Manor. After returning their bikes to the transition area, they doffed their helmets, took a swig of water, and dashed off for the final running leg on Hommocks Road. Fans and family members cheered them on along the way—and greeted them at the balloon-festooned finish line near the Hommocks Auditorium.

And that was just the first group! Next came the 9 and 10 year olds, then the 11 and 12 year olds, and finally the 13 and 14 year olds bringing up the rear. The distances got a little longer with each age group so that everyone felt a real sense of accomplishment.

Thirteen-year-old Lucy Schlegel confessed to having “rubber legs” when she got off the bike and started running; but she persevered and finished second in her age group. Nolan Forsman got his shoelace stuck in his bike pedal during the race, but went on to win the boys 7-8 category. And 7-year-old twins Stephen and Edward Mooney got separated during the race, but found each other quickly at the finish line for a big high five.

Parent volunteer Nancy Gardiner was amazed at how “every kid seemed to cross the finish line like an Olympic champion.” Indeed, with the summer Olympics still fresh in so many kids’ minds, there was a palpable excitement at the triathlon this year.
DJ Jim Cunningham pumped inspirational music and welcomed runners by name as they neared the finish line. Every participant received a medal, and trophies were awarded to the top 3 finishers in each age category for both boys and girls.

Proud parents who tried to catch a glimpse of their children during all three portions of the event discovered that they too had to be in pretty good shape to keep up. Brandt Sakakeeny had two sons in the race at different age levels: “I’m exhausted just trying to take photos of both of them. I can’t imagine how they must feel!”

The good news for parents is that the triathlon organizers invited professional photographers to cover the event this year and capture as many kids as possible on film. Parents will be notified about the opportunity to view and purchase these photos.

It’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago, the Jr. Triathlon was an experiment by the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation. Now in its third year, the triathlon is a tried-and-true community event that rallies hundreds of kids around fun and fitness every fall. MSF often gets inquiries from other communities interested in replicating its success. The event has become so popular with local kids that registration sold out in record time this year.

In addition, the Jr. Triathlon is a timely complement to the Mamaroneck School District’s new “Safe Routes to School” initiative which encourages kids to walk and bike to school safely everyday. “The triathlon is great because it motivates kids to get out there and use their bikes, “ said Padraic Boyle whose son Hunter participated in the triathlon and rides his bike regularly to Hommocks. “Plus, if you can run a mile in a triathlon, you can walk a half mile to school.”

At the closing ceremonies, Mamaroneck Schools Foundation President Edie Roth enthusiastically thanked the many sponsors who made the Jr. Triathlon possible, specifically New York Sports Club, Citi Private Bank, Larchmont Mamaroneck Youth Lacrosse, Powers Fasteners, LeBlanc Orthodontics, the Junior League, and the Coughlin Group. Additional support was provided by Stop ‘n Shop, Trader Joe’s, Balloon World, Signs Plus and the Larchmont Farmers Market.

She also thanked the local police who managed traffic and kept the roadways safe, as well as the many, many volunteers (150!) who organized and worked at the event. Teens who were too old to compete in the triathlon accounted for many of the volunteers; the Mamaroneck High School swim team skillfully managed the swimming portion of the race for the third year in a row.

Parent volunteers Tracy Owen and Eilis Powers handed out the medals to all participants at the end of the race. “We have the best job at the whole triathlon—telling every one of these kids that they are winners.”

Top medal winners display their prizes. Photo by Jennifer Conley.

MSF Junior Triathlon Race Results

For more photos and a complete listing of results, please check the website: www.mamaroneckschoolsfoundation.org.

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