In a weekend filled with adventure racers and mountain bike speedsters the kids refused to be outdone as more than 200 young athletes from the Lower Mainland and Washington exercised their full spectrum of muscles in the eighth annual Squamish Youth Triathlon at Brennan Park on Sunday (May 11).Children as young as five and as old as 15 flooded the pool with strong strokes, then pedalled and trekked around the recreation centre grounds including the Logger's Creek trail - all for the sake of taking part and staying active with their friends. "The participation aspect of it is awesome," said co-organizer Roz Gilbert. "And when you see the kids you really get that, too. It's not just about winning and they all seem to just have big smiles on their faces."A total of 221 kids participated, 105 racing solo and 117 doing it as part of relay teams with creative names. (Although the Snapping Crocodile Jets placed second in the Under 7 category, they definitely won most intimidating moniker!)Course distances for the Triathlon B.C.-sanctioned event ranged according to age. While the youngest triathletes conquered two lengths of the pool, a 1 km bike ride and 500-metre run, the eldest faced 12 lengths, a 13-kilometre bike section and a four-kilometre run.A spirit award was given to Jennifer Paxton for bouncing back from a six-week illness that forced her to spend part of her spring at the B.C. Children's Hospital.The ten-year-old Brackendale Elementary student recently recovered from a serious ear infection called mastoiditis, which sidelined her from her favourite sports soccer and skiing.After spending 17 days at the hospital and another three weeks as an outpatient at Squamish General Hospital for intravenous treatments, Paxton made a courageous return to the trails by taking part in the relay's bike section with swimming/running teammate Claire Parker."When she heard about the spirit award she was just over the moon," said her mom Margaret Paxton. "She was so happy and proud and grateful. And I feel extremely grateful for her health and for this community in providing opportunities for children and having participation and active living be the focus rather than the competitiveness. "I feel very proud to be a part of Squamish."At the end of the event, kids were scattered everywhere refueling from food stands and giving each other high fives. Everyone received medals and wore them proudly together while being recognized on stage with a big trophy.Volunteer participation helped the event run smoothly, said Gilbert, as six core members and about 90 more volleys supported the triathlon. The transition area even had bike racks compliments of Don Scott, who travels them around the youth triathlon circuit in exchange for donations toward Tricceleration Club in Vancouver, she said. "It's quite amazing. He builds them, he brings them up on his truck and helps you set them up. He even sleeps with them to look after them," said Gilbert.For more triathlon results see the scoreboard on page A39.
