The Dubbo Triathlon Club season will begin in earnest this weekend with one of the more meaningful and fun events on the calendar being contested.
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The annual Michael Martin Charity Teams Day is on Sunday morning and close to 100 competitors are expected to take part at Ollie Robbins Oval.
The event is different to most triathlons as it features teams, allowing people to focus on just the one or two disciplines if they want to.
The winner is also not necessarily the first to finish, as teams nominate a time before they start and the one to finish closest to that time is crowned the day's champion.
"It's our first major race of the season and it's a good event in that it's not just for triathletes," Dubbo Triathlon Club president Jason Dearmer said.
"Anyone who can run, swim, or cycle can take part. You can just pick the one leg you're good at and make a team."
There are a handful of people who will be doing all three legs on Sunday, while a number are expected to complete two of the three.
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The lack of pressure to contest all three legs, plus the winner not being the first past the post, makes the day a social and fun one for all involved.
That is something the club has always pushed for, with Martin himself focused on that during his time involved with the sport.
Martin was a well-known member of the community who was a keen charity campaigner and triathlete and after he passed away following a battle with cancer in 2006 the club honoured him with this event.
"Athletes don't feel as intimidated about going up against more experienced people," Dearmer said, before talking about the fun aspect.
"It's something we want to keep. It was something Michael Martin strongly believed in, that inclusiveness and thinking about others and that's what this encompasses."
All the money raised from registrations ahead of Sunday's event will be donated to the NSW Cancer Council.
Dearmer stated he expects more than 20 teams to take part in Sunday's event, which starts from 9am.
Athletes can choose to take part in the short or long distance courses, while the race is followed by a free barbecue and presentation.
The short distance course features a 150m swim, a 9km bike ride, and a 2km swim, while the long courses is made-up of a 500m swim, an 18km ride, and a 4km run.
The event kick-starts the Dubbo season, with the first leg of the Central West Interclub Series to be held later this month at Mudgee before the second local junior Tri-Stars event on November 24.
There will be a briefing at 8.30am at the Ollie Robbins Oval on Sunday before the Michael Martin Charity Teams Day race starts at 9am.
Tickets can be purchased from https://www.123tix.com.au/events/5868/dubbo-triathlon-club-2019-michael-martin-charity-teams-day.