A record number of triathletes are expected Saturday at the Kelly Lake Triathlon, with proceeds to benefit the Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago.
“We are close to hitting our cap of 150 and should meet it by the weekend,” triathlon coordinator Roger Bloom said. “It will be the most we have ever had.”
Last year, the event drew 105 competitors.
Races will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a 750-meter swim in Kelly Lake, followed by a 15.5-mile bicycle ride around White Lake and a 3.4-mile run around Kelly Lake.
Bloom, an Illinois resident with deep roots in Kelly Lake, said participants have found the swimming portion to be the most challenging.
“The swim is a lot more difficult because it is longer than the typical sprint distance,” said Bloom, noting the sprint is about a half mile. “The swim is tough.”
Ryne Scopp, of Kenosha, whose family has a cottage on Kelly Lake, will return to defend his two-time men’s championship. He said he enjoys the atmosphere and the comaraderie of the people who participate.
“I like the small feel, small course and the friendliness of people,” Scopp said. “It is easy to get along with people around the area without any intimidation. It is just a fun race. You don’t feel any pressure.”
Bloom chose the Shriners hospital as the event’s beneficary after his nephew, Peyton Withrow, was confined to a wheelchair following a car accident. Shriners hospitals provide medical care for children, regardless of their families’ income.
“It is something I wanted to do,” Bloom said, noting that Withrow will be doing a portion of the triathlon Saturday.
The triathlon typically raises about $1,500 for the hospital, but Bloom is hoping for more this year.
“We will give people information about the hospital at the race, and we are looking to raise more than a couple thousand this year,” he said.
Gold sponsors of the event are PowerBar, Rudy Project and Michelob Ultra. Other sponsors include Springside Cheese Corporation, Witt’s Piggly Wiggly, Geneva Running Outfitters, Romy’s Holiday Inn, Kelly Lake Kwik Stop, and Sharper Image Salon and Tanning.
