About 170 athletes enjoyed a morning of fun at the 12th annual Alabama Pediatric Dental Associates Pesky Piranha youth triathlon at Piedmont Recreation Association pool.
“Like herding cats” one volunteer said, with a big smile, during the early Guppies transition. The Guppies are the youngest of the three age groups, at ages 7-under. Juniors (8-10 year olds) and seniors (11-14) comprise the other two. Team Rocket Tri Club stages the event to encourage young athletes interested in learning more about triathlons, having fun and competing.
Six waves, girls and then boys, in each age group, started the Pesky Piranha at 8 a.m. with the run. They then transitioned to the bike, and then the swim to cap it. Each age group had different distances for each discipline. Volunteers shepherded the kiddos on the streets, along with assistance from the Huntsville Police Department. Lifeguards were in the pool, and Tri Club volunteers helped with transitions. The distances:
Guppies: Run 0.25 miles, Bike 0.75 miles, Swim 25 yards (1 lap).
Juniors: Run 0.5 miles, Bike 0.95 miles, Swim 75 yards.
Seniors: Run 0.75 miles, Bike 1.9 miles, Swim 100 yards.
Other sponsors included Redstone Federal Credit Union, Fleet Feet, We Run Huntsville, HEMSI, Piedmont Piranhas and Sunset Bicycles. This was one of seven scheduled Tri Club events for this year. The season kicked off with the annual Heel & Crank in May. Next up is the Wet Dog Triathlon on July 11 in Decatur at Point Mallard Park.
Results are available here. Race photos from We Run Huntsville are compliments of Redstone Federal Credit Union. A password is required; check your email for it if you had a child competing.
