Participants in the youth triathlon run into the lake after the starting gun to begin the first leg of their competition. Nearly 30 children competed in the youth triathlon for the Youth for Christ Seeley Lake Challenge Triathlon/Duathlon at the River Point Day Use area.
Rachel Homen joins her son Ezra as he approaches the finish line for the youth triathlon at the Youth For Christ Seeley Lake Challenge Triathlon/Duathlon at the River Point Day Use area.
Youth for Christ Seeley Lake Challenge Race Organizer Cheri Thompson gives race instructions to the participants in the youth triathlon.
Jamie Jones of Helena enters the final stretch of the running portion of the Youth for Christ Seeley Lake Challenge Triathlon/Duathlon. Jones won the women's short swim event with a time of 1:06:54.
SEELEY LAKE - Families took to the Youth for Christ Seeley Lake Challenge Triathlon/Duathlon at the River Point Day Use area on Saturday, Aug 3.
Nissa Lucero of Missoula competed in the solo short swim for her first ever triathlon. Following her race, she took to the sidelines to cheer on her daughters Soel and Seri that competed in the youth triathlon.
"It was such an amazing day," said Nissa, who finished seventh in the 35-39 age group with a time of 1:25:31 for the short swim. "It was so great that we all could participate."
"I crushed the biking," added Soel with a grin. Soel finished the kids triathlon in a time of 23:26, her younger sister Seri, accompanied by her father Jacob, finished in a time of 32:17.
According to Nissa, her favorite part of the triathlon was training with her daughters. They intend to compete again next year.
The family-friendly triathlon and duathlon brought more than 60 solo competitors, one three person team and 27 youth to the shore of Seeley Lake with participants coming from all across Montana and as far as Canada, Virginia and Texas.
The triathlon is made up of either a short (300 yards) or long (600 yards) open swim in Seeley Lake, a 10-mile bike ride down Boy Scout Road and a 3.3 mile trail run to finish the race. The duathlon starts and ends with a 3.3 mile trail run and a 10-mile bike ride in the middle. For the youth triathlon, competitors swam the perimeter of the swimming area, biked the Riverpoint Loop and ran a brief out-and-back on the campground road. All races started and ended at the River Point Campground Day Use area, that also served as a transition point for competitions.
Kristie Peressini of Seeley Lake placed third overall in the solo long swim and won the 50-54 age group with a time of 1:15:36.
Rachel Homen and her children Ezra, Aliyah and Malakai were the only other local competitors in the triathlon. Rachel competed in the solo short swim and placed seventh in the 30-34 age group with a time of 1:49:36. Ezra finished fourth in the 10 and up age group with a time of 27:12. Aliyah finished sixth in the 1-9 age group with a time of 24:54. Malakai finished ninth in the 1-9 age group with a time of 51:52.
"My favorite part of the event is watching the people having so much fun," said Race Coordinator Cheri Thompson. Thompson has been organizing the event since its inception nearly 20 years ago.
For full results visit: http://competitivetiming.com/results/195007O
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