Trianthlon returns to McMinnville

After a three-year layoff, the McMinnville City Triathlon is set for Saturday, Aug. 17 beginning at 8 a.m. Registration is under way.

“These types of events have gained so much popularity over the last five years,” said event coordinator Matt Feno. “We wanted to bring this type of event back to McMinnville and all the money raised over operating expenses will go to charity.”

The triathlon will consist of a 400-meter swim at Gilley Pool, an 18-mile bike race that leaves the Civic Center and heads toward the Country Club, and a 3.1-mile run that leaves the Civic Center and goes downtown.

“We hope to get a lot of out-of-town participants and we want to take them through the renovated downtown area,” said Feno. “We also want this to be a beginner-friendly event if you’ve never done a triathlon before. At the same time, if you have a lot of triathlon experience, we think we have a course that’s challenging as well.”

For participants looking to train for the triathlon, USA Gym will be offering triathlon clinics leading up to the event. This will help competitors learn about shortcuts they can take in the transition areas to reduce their time. The transition areas are those where competitors change from swimming to cycling, and from cycling to running.

The race will be timed by a company called A Matter of Timing. Competitors will know their times in all three events and the two transition periods.

Race times will be posted the day of the race and prizes will be awarded to top finishers.

Feno said he would like to work to help McMinnville regain some of its outdoor activities.

“When I first moved here, it seemed like McMinnville was trying to cancel any type of outdoor event because it was too much work,” said Feno. “We’re trying to turn things around.”

The city once held a half-marathon and a triathlon before ending those events. The Highland Rim Cycling Classic bicycle race, once sponsored by the Chamber, was ended after a 20-year run before a private organization decided to keep it going last year.

McMinnville City Triathlon will be a USAT-sanctioned event. People who compete in three USAT-sanctioned events get ranked.

Other triathlon committee members include Paige Northcutt, Bobby Kirby, Freddy Hoover, Mike Neiderhauser, Carlene Brown, Lisa Miller, Scott McCord, Michael Griffith, Jim Carden, Sally Pack and Zach Sutton.

Petey’s Project is the charity that will benefit from this year’s event. Feno says a different charity will be selected each year.

You can register online at www.mcminnvillecitytriathlon.com or active.com. Registration is being capped at 400 participants.

The cost is $55.