OAKHURST – Registration is now open for the mountain area’s youth triathlon as the sixth annual Bass Lake MY*Tri returns on Saturday, Sept. 8. This super-fun triathlon is open to kids ages 5 – 17.
Hosted by Miller’s Landing Resort on beautiful Bass Lake, just miles from Yosemite National Park, MY*Tri offers the perfect outdoor mountain venue and challenging courses for all levels of young athletes.
“Watching these kids giving it their all is magical,” says Christel Biasell, proud grandparent of two participants.
“From the glimmer of nervousness and anticipation in their eyes before they start, to the huge smiles of pride as they chat with their friends after the finish line — this race is perfectly orchestrated! I love seeing our community work so hard to create a day for these kids to remember for a lifetime. It is such a special day in a truly beautiful place.”
In its sixth year, event coordinators are anticipating that more than 100 young athletes will participate in the tri. Starting at 7:30 a.m., kids of all ages and athletic skill levels will swim, bike and run for fitness and for fun. Each athlete participates in one of three race divisions designed to suit their abilities, from those with training wheels to seasoned athletes who love the competition.
“It’s one of my favorite days of the year,” says Elley Shaw, 12. “I look forward to it months in advance. My favorite part is hearing the horn starting the swim race.”
Divisions include:
- DASH – 50 yard Swim, 2 mile Bike, 0.5 mile Run
- SPRINT – 100 yard Swim, 4 mile Bike, 1 mile Run
- ACE – 200 yard Swim, 8 mile Bike, 2 mile Run
“What I love about MY*Tri is the way it brings our community together,” says Taylor Olney, Run Director.
“It’s so inspiring to see sponsors, volunteers, spectators, parents, grandparents, and children join together with a common goal. Our goal is to provide a day at beautiful Bass Lake promoting athletics, health and fun. I’m so proud of all our athletes. We love watching the five-year-olds swimming with a life jacket and cycling with training wheels. We are so impressed with the children who overcome extra battles with asthma, diabetes, and autism, and we’re excited to cheer on all the athletes who really push themselves and achieve their goals.”
MY*Tri has a wonderful crew of volunteers who will encourage beginner athletes in the most incredible ways. In years past, these volunteers have been in the water with the swimmers, tied shoes, buckled helmets, held bikes for kids, run alongside bikers and runners and cheered them on throughout the course. For the avid athlete and older kids, there’s a challenging course designed for them as well.
“I’ve done the MY*Tri every year,” says Evy Marshall, 11. “I really hope I beat my time from the last race! It’s so fun getting to race at Bass Lake with my friends.”
This event is made possible by generous community sponsors, many of whom have donated to the MY*Tri since its inaugural year they are: Miller’s Landing Resort, Sierra Asset Management, Central Valley Retina Associates, Sierra Automotive, Visit Yosemite | Madera County, California Jam Co, K&B Auto Parts, Cornerstone Custom Construction, Inc., Pines Bakery, Outback Materials, and more.
- Early Bird Ace Division $25.00 (+$2.37 fee). The Ace Division is for our seasoned athletes. It includes a 200 yard swim, 8 mile bike, and 2 mile run.
- Early Bird Ace Division-Sibling Discount $20.00 (+$2.09 fee). This ticket is discounted for triathlete siblings. The Ace Division is for our seasoned athletes. It includes a 200 yard swim, 8 mile bike, and 2 mile run.
- Early Bird Sprint Division $25.00 (+$2.37 fee). The Sprint Division course is a 100 yard swim, 4 mile bike, and 1 mile run.
- Early Bird Sprint Division-Sibling Discount $20.00 (+$2.09 fee). This ticket is discounted for triathlete siblings. The Sprint Division includes a 100 yard swim, 4 mile bike, and 1 mile run.
- Early Bird Dash Division $25.00 (+$2.37 fee). The Dash Division includes a 50 yard swim, 2 mile bike, and 0.5 mile run. Early Bird Dash Division-Sibling Discount$20.00 (+$2.09 fee).
Mail-In Registration:
- $30.00 if delivered to Miller’s Landing Resort between August 27th – Sept. 6th, $25.00 for additional siblings.
- •$35.00 at late registration on September 7th, Miller’s Landing 5-6pm
- •Entry fee includes a MY*Tri t-shirt, lunch ticket, and goodie bag if registered before August 26th.
- Extra t-shirts may be available for purchase on race day.
For more information and to register visit: MyTriBassLake.com
About My*Tri
MY*Tri was created six years ago as a vision of a day that was geared just for our kids. After participating in the Bass Lake Tri and experiencing the number of kids that cheered their parents on and held up signs of encouragement (My Dad is Awesome!, You Can Do It!, My Mom Rocks!, etc), we knew we had to create something like it for our kids. We envisioned a day of outdoor fun where we celebrated not only the beautiful place that we are blessed to live in, but the strength and perseverance of our mountain area kids. We designed each course (Dash, Sprint and Ace) to accommodate any and all levels of athletes. By allowing flotation devices on the swim and training wheels on the bike, we have our youngest athletes out on the Dash course with big smiles on their faces. The Sprint course is designed for those kids that want more of a challenge and the Ace course accommodates the super athletes in our community.
The Southern Yosemite Visitors Bureau, formed in 1985, has been operating at The Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau for 30 years. Established by a group from the Eastern Madera County Chamber of Commerce with a vision of the growing potential to draw millions of visitors to Yosemite National Park and the many businesses and attractions in Madera County. Recently the visitor’s bureau changed its name to Visit Yosemite | Madera County to more accurately reflect its mission to promote all there is to see and do in Yosemite and Madera County.
Photos courtesy of Visit Yosemite Madera County and Annie Starkey Photography
