Before the season began, the new-look Dubbo Triathlon Club was determined to boost junior participation and help create a pathway for young athletes.
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If the showing at the fourth and final Junior Tri-Stars event for the season on Sunday is anything to go by, the club is well on the way to achieving its goal.
Fifty-eight junior athletes competed at Dubbo Aquatic and Leisure Centre on Sunday in what was the biggest turnout of the Tri-Stars season.
“We’re getting there,” Dubbo Triathlon Club president Jason Dearmer said.
“The biggest thing for us is having juniors and giving them a way to transition from Tri-Stars to the junior components of full triathlon and have them down at Ollie Robbins with the adult events and letting them have a swim in the river or a run along the track.
“Tri-Stars had a bit of a break for a couple of years but we got it happening again now we’ll continue forward and give people and avenue to be part of the sport.”
The biggest thing for us is having juniors and giving them a way to transition from Tri-Stars to the junior components of full triathlon.
- Jason Dearmer
The final leg of the series was a bumper one with 58 juniors taking part on Sunday.
As with the previous Tri-Stars events, there was three courses on offer so children of all ages could take part, while there was also an adult enticer aquathon.
The junior short course, which consisted of a 12m swim, a 250m cycle and a 250m run was won by Olly Grose and London Yeomans.
Jacob Fitzgerland and Gemma Coote won the medium course, an event featuring a 25m swim, a 500m cycle and a 500m run.
The junior long course, a 50m swim, 1km cycle and 1km run, was won by Cooper Smith and Matilda Medlin.
Daniel Roberts and Tracey Whillock were the male and female adult enticer winners respectively.
“The fourth one was our best event so far,” Dearmer said.
“There definitely was some very fast times and it’s not just parents pushing their kids to compete. They really want to give it a go and be part of it.”
The end of the triathlon season is now approaching but before that Dubbo will host the latest round of the Central West Inter-Club Series this weekend.
The best athletes from Bathurst, Orange, Mudgee and Cowra will converge to take on the Dubbo club and Dearmer was pleased to say an under 18s event will also be on offer.
“The whole committee has enjoyed being there and interacting with the kids,” Dearmer said of the season.