Innsbrook triathlon set for Saturday
Bikers to race on Highways O and W, Stracks Church Road
 |
| File photo -- A triathlete competes in the swim portion of last year's Halfmax Championship in Innsbrook. Races this year, the Quartermax and Octomax Who Tri's Harder Triathlons, will take place Saturday. |
|
The athletes will be competing in one of two races, the Quartermax and Octomax Who Tri's Harder Triathlons, at Innsbrook Resort.
Bikers will be pedaling along Highways O and W, Stracks Church Road and other area roadways between 8:15 and 11:15 a.m.At the request of the Warren County Commission, Ultramax event staff will not spray paint the race route on the county roads.
"Not painting on the roads is in consideration of the motorist," said Race Director for Ultramax Events Mark Livesay.
He said commissioners were concerned the spray-painted markings could distract motorists.
Local law enforcement will be manning all intersections of the race route to provide additional safety, Livesay said.
He encouraged motorists to use caution and common sense when driving past race participants.
"Slow up," he said. "You may see one in front of you, but there might be several who are behind you."
Some features of triathlon racing make it easier on motorists than other professional races, such as the Tour of Missouri, Livesay said.
"In a professional cycling race, they ride around in a big stack of people and in most cases they have to close the roads as they go past," he said.
This is not the case with triathlons, in which it is illegal to be within 30 feet of the cyclist in front of you to prevent drafting, he said.
Cyclists also must stay to the right of the road unless they are making a pass, he said.
"Those two things alone dramatically improve the ability to have traffic on the road at the same time," he said.
Event staff also have increased safety features since last year's event during which Kevin Hunt, 28, of Fenton drowned.
"When we reviewed the tragedy, we felt we had the proper safety measures in place," Livesay said. "But we've added features to the races to make the athletes feel more comfortable and take the pressure off them."
On Saturday, the race will have its normal safety personnel on hand, including eight lifeguards, 12 to 14 boats in the water, two personal watercraft and two more motorboats.
In addition, members of the Mid-Missouri Search and Rescue Dive Team of St. Louis and the Warren County Ambulance and Warrenton Fire Protection districts will be on hand.
One of the biggest improvements Ultramax has done is added the last wave to the swim portion of the event, said Chrissie McKinney, assistant race director for Ultramax Events.
"It's primarily for new swimmers and people who aren't comfortable in the water," she said.
Livesay emphasized that the last wave is not about being a slow swimmer. Instead, by electing to go last, it can sometimes take the pressures off a first-time participant, he said.
It also has the advantages of less congestion in the water and more space to swim, which means swimmers will have more attention from lifeguards, Livesay said.
"I believe we're the only race in the country who do that," he said.
