Park Hosts Annual Triathlon

Racers beginning the swimming portion of the triathlon

NPS Maria Jay

News Release Date: October 1, 2012

On September 15, 2012 the Tri-Freaks held their ninth annual Grand Columbian Triathlon in the Grand Coulee area.This is the second year that the swim portion was held in Spring Canyon in Lake Roosevelt.

There were 280 competitors competing in events of varying lengths:

- The Super Tri-A 5 kilometer swim, 200 Kilometer bike ride and a 50 Kilometer run.
- Ultra Iron - A 3.8 kilometer swim, 180 Kilometer bike ride and a 40 Kilometer run.
- Long Half Iron – A 1.9 Kilometer swim, 90 Kilometer bike ride, and a 21.1 Kilometer run.
- Olympic – A 1500 meter swim, 45 Kilometer bike ride, and a 10 Km run.
- Duathlon – A 5 Km run.

The first swimmers hit the 60°F water just as it was getting light at 6:20 a.m. and the last of the bikes headed up the long hill at Spring Canyon Campground at approximately 10:40 a.m.

This was a coordinated effort of the Tri-Freaks Inc., the National Park Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, Grant County, Grand Coulee Fire and Ambulance, Wilbur Fire Department, Colville Confederated Tribes, Amateur Radio Operations from Okanogan, Grant and Lincoln counties, Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce and the students at Lake Roosevelt High School.

Thanks to the coordinated efforts of all, the event went smoothly with no close calls or injuries.Even the smoke from the Barker Canyon Fire did not hamper the efforts of these amazing athletes.

A big "Thank you" goes out to all agencies and volunteers that made the event a success.