Triathlon set for Saturday

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Last year?s top-finishing overall female, Nashville?s Shelby Sheffield, heads toward the end of the cycling portion of the 2005 McMinnville City Triathlon. This year?s triathlon is scheduled for Saturday at the Civic Center.

This Saturday, the Fourth Annual McMinnville City Triathlon will kick off at 7:30 a.m. with a 350-meter swim in the Gilley Pool. Participants will then hit the road on their bicycles for the 15.25-mile bike portion of the triathlon, and before crossing the finish line athletes will have to run the three-mile road course.

Approximately 300 athletes showed up for last year?s event, which is sanctioned by the USA Triathlon and organized by Team Magic. Athletes from all over the southeast, including several local participants, will participate in tomorrow?s race, which once again has been named Tennessee?s State Qualifier for the new ?Best of the U.S.? amateur triathlete competition.

Participants can register and pick up their packets starting tonight from 4-6 p.m. at the McMinnville Civic Center. Registration and packet pick-up will begin on Saturday at 6 a.m.

Competitors in last year?s race ranged in age from 14 to 69. Brentwood?s Bruce Gennari won his third McMinnville City Triathlon with a time of 58 minutes and 33 seconds and Shelby Sheffield of Nashville was the female overall winner with a time of 1:06:38.

The Triathlon has become a family day as many competitors make a day of it.

?I really enjoy coming to McMinnville,? said Gennari. ?I bring the family down here and we make a day of it. We go to the pool and hang out with all the other competitors, it?s just a nice place to spend the afternoon. Everyone here makes this a special event.?

This year?s event will include a new feature, aimed at young athletes. A ?Small Fry Tri? mini-triathlon will be held before Saturday?s awards ceremony. The non-competitive, fun event will not have lap swimming, but will feature some type of water activity, a simple bicycle ride either on the greenway or in the Civic Center area, and a final short run to the main finish line.

For more information on the triathlon and other Team Magic events, log on to www.team-magic com.