Inaugural Atlanta Kids Triathlon

In its first year, the Atlanta Kids Triathlon will become 1 of the 10 largest kids triathlons ever held in the United States. On August 25 & 26, 2012, 850 kids (ages 5 to 15) and more than 2,500 spectators will gather at the West Gwinnett Aquatic Center in Peachtree Corners for what will be as much a festival of health and fitness as it is a race.

“Kids across Georgia have been working hard to get ready to become triathletes, and we are proud to have played a role in helping them,” said Kristin McEwen, Group Vice President of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta. “Everyone at the Y is honored to partner with Kids Triathlon to show kids that being healthy and active can be fun.”

Scott Doll, Executive Director, Mission Advancement at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, added, “This is a proactive effort that supports the goals of our many community partners, and it encourages families to make positive decisions that will last a lifetime. This triathlon is a fun, exciting and healthy experience for everyone involved. We hope people across Georgia come out this Sunday to support these efforts.”

According to Tom Gildersleeve, Event Director, the support of community leaders is equally important to the
involvement of the kids. Some of the event highlights include:

A unique event format where every kid who finishes is a winner and safety is the top priority. On Sunday, nearly 500 kids will complete their first triathlon.

Numerous celebrities from throughout the community will be on hand to encourage and to recognize the participants. Many will race with the kids as part of the Celebrity Big Kids™ Event which is designed to provide positive role models for the participants.

Participation of a team of kids from the Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA will all become the first in their families to complete a triathlon. These 30 kids have participated in a 7-week training program to get ready for the event, and many are receiving new bikes and other equipment for the race.

Most importantly, this event will mark the start of a year-round triathlon team for underserved children at the Young Family Y and will expose them to a new sport and lifestyle.

What is a Kids Triathlon? Triathlon is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and kids triathlons are a vital part of this trend. Race distances are set by USATriathlon (the governing body of the sport under the United States Olympic Committee) to be challenging, yet achievable, and every race consists of four components – swimming, biking, running and transitions. There are two divisions in kids races with the juniors (10 years old & under) completing a 100-yard swim; three-mile bike and half-mile run. The seniors (ages 11 – 15) complete double the distances (200 yard swim; six mile bike; and one mile run).

About the Atlanta Kids Triathlon: Organized through Kids Triathlon, Inc. (a 501c(3) entity based in Jacksonville, Fla.), the Atlanta Kids Triathlon is the primary fundraising event for a year-around outreach program to introduce kids to the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle. All activities are coordinated by an organizing committee and the event is 100 percent staffed by volunteers. During 2012, more than $14,000 and 500 hours of help will be donated to “healthy kid” initiatives across Georgia.

Schedule of Events for August 25 and 26, 2012: Festivities kick-off Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. with packet
pick-up and the event expo. Saturday is highlighted by a pep rally at 5:30 p.m. featuring welcomes from local officials, introductions of the 2012 Celebrity Big Kids and a speech by Almon Gunter, a world-class track star and motivational speaker. Sunday morning is race day with transition opening at 6:30 a.m. and the races starting at 8:00 a.m. The event concludes with the awards ceremony at 11:00 a.m. Sunday.