This is the 19th year for the Bill Bone Tropical Triathlon in Lake Worth. The sprint distance triathlon, which is a quarter-mile swim, 13-mile bike and 5K (3.1-mile) run, starts at 7 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 18 at Lake Worth beach (10 S. Ocean Blvd., at A1A and Lake Ave.).
The cost for an individual entry is $100. For high school students, it’s $60. Relay teams can participate, too. All participants get breakfast after the race.
Nadine Burns, who is the contact for the race, tells bocamag.com that proceeds from the Tropical Triathlon help to buy road bikes for local high school triathlon clubs. Two high schools are on board so far: Lake Worth High School and Santaluces High in Lantana. Each school has a six-to-eight member tri club. Thanks to the not-for-profit Friends of Lake Worth High School organization, each school got six road bikes, which each cost thousands of dollars to buy retail. Burns helped lead the program to give schools incentive to start tri clubs.
U.S.A. Triathlon Association (USAT) has taken notice and plans to attend the Lake Worth event to use the program as a model to encourage high school based tri clubs, Burns says.
“It’s real simple. These bikes are expensive, so in order for the kids to have them the easiest way around that is to get a sponsor. Our organization sponsors it. We raise money and … get them six road bikes. We donate them to the school, to the tri club. That way the bikes are always secure there and available to the students, so they can train and compete,” Burns says.
Schools can reach Burns by calling 561/358-8501 or emailing her attropicaltriathlon@gmail.com to get the tri club ball rolling.
The organization does this, in part, through donations that race participants can make when they’re signing up for the triathlon. Or if you like the idea and want to give but don’t want to participate in the upcoming tri, contact Burns about making a donation.
“Our goal is to have a tri club at every Palm Beach County School …,” Burns says.
To register for the Bill Bone Tropical Triathlon, click here.
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About Lisette
Lisette Hilton, president of Words Come Alive, has had the luxury of reporting on health, fitness and other hot topics for more than 23 years. The longtime Boca Raton resident, University of Florida graduate and fitness buff writes for local, regional and national publications and websites. Find out more on wordscomealive.com.
