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Feature Article January 15

Feature Article January 15, 2004

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Kids of Steel Provincial Championship to be held in Sharbot Lake

Kids of Steel Provincial Championship to be held in Sharbot Lake

On the heels of a successful Kids of Steel triathlon at the beach in Sharbot Lake last August, organizers have been granted the 2004 Provincial championships. The event will take place on Sunday, August 22 and is expected to attract 350-450 young triathletes from all over Ontario. With families and supporters, 1500 people are expected to be in the area on that weekend.

The adult triathlon is also returning on August 21.

John Balint, a key organiser of the event, said Sharbot Lake was one of around four events that applied for the Provincial Championship, and a few factors led to the Associations decision to go with Sharbot Lake.

It helps to be a triathlon at the latter part of the summer. As well, the location is ideal, and with this being an Olympic year, the association between Sharbot Lake and Simon Whitfield may have played into the decision as well, Balint said.

Whitfield, the winner of a triathlon gold medal at the Olympics in 2000 and the only Canadian male triathlete thus far to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics, got his start with the Kids of Steel in Sharbot Lake in the late 80s. Last year, organizers of the Kids of Steel had the racers touch the Simon Whitfield plaque at the beach in Sharbot Lake before the race for inspiration.

In order to prepare the way for the event this year, Balint is sending a letter to the township this week and will be seeking to have arrangements in place for traffic control long before the August 21 event.

With the participation of the Government of Canada