We did it!

After the Race....... Congratulations to the Excomunicators! 

Thanks to the support crew; Jacinta and Janet.

The run - 5 km

Dave VanderHeide and Linda VAnderHeide share the 5 km run.

Skiing

Linda V. skiing 10 km

Skaters

Skaters:  Dave and Katherine sharing 10 km.

Waiting to start.

Waiting for the 10 race to finish before the real athletes get on the ice and the Winter triathalon begins!

Team Members

1.  10 km ice skate - shared by skaters, Dave VanderHeide and Helen VanderHeide
2.  10 km cross country ski  - by skiier, Linda VanderHeide
3.  5 km run - shared by runners, Dave VanderHeide and Linda VanderHeide
4.  Support crew:  Janet R. and Jacinta B.

Meet the Team ... #19.

Edmonton Winter Triathalon and the Silver Skate Festival

THE EDMONTON WINTER TRIATHLON
February 20th, 2011
Hawrelak Park, Edmonton

Again, this year the Silver Skate Festival Society will host the Edmonton Winter Triathlon (EWT). The event will take place on Sunday, February 20th at 9:30 AM in Hawrelak Park, Edmonton.

Born in 1989 out of a desire for a race a "little different than the ordinary" the EWT brings together aspects of three common winter pursuits: skating, skiing and running.  

Participation

The EWT is directed at both the competitive athlete and the novice participant. Don't let the length or the distances deter you from entering. It will  be a fun and memorable winter's day for all competitors. Skaters, skiers and runners of any age, strength, and ability are encouraged to come out and participate.

The race has both a solo and team relay categories. Teams can have as many as five people. The team captain can spit the race among the members as desired. Teams can split any of the individual legs and can pass the relay baton as many times as the team captain thinks is feasible during the race. There are categories for Men's, Women's, Mixed, Corporate, and Family Teams.  The VanderHeide family plans to enter a team this year.  

Skate (10 km)

The skate is the first leg of the triathlon. The skate course is set up on the large manmade lake located in the center of Hawrelak Park. Skaters are required to skate a 1 km course 10 times. The skate direction will be counter clockwise around the lake.

The race is a mass start across a long start line. There is no seeding. The race starts by a gun or horn. Faster skaters normally form a lead group early in the race followed by the rest of the skaters in the field. 

You are responsible for keeping track of your own lap counts if you are not among the lead. Relay teams may pass baton after each lap or after any combination of laps as long as the team completes all 10 laps.

The City of Edmonton ice crews do an excellent job of preparing the course for the skate race. You can expect very good outdoor ice conditions based on our experience at this venue. 

Ski (10 km)

After skating, the participants are directed to the skate/ski transition zone.  For teams, the skater is required to tag a team skier at the edge of the ice. 

The ski course is set around shore of the lake and within the park area adjacent to the lake. Participants are required to do five (5) clockwise laps of a 2 km ski course (=10 km). The start and end of ski occur within the transition zone. Team skiers are welcome to pass the relay baton within the zone, thus splitting the ski up into 2 km sprints.

Both free-style (skate skiing) and classic style (Nordic) skiing are permitted. The track is groomed to accommodate both styles.  The skier passes the baton to the runner within the transition zone (?).  Participants then proceed on to the run course.

Run (5km)

Running is the final leg. The run course is set on the perimeter road around Hawrelak Park. You are required to do two clockwise laps of 2.4 km along with a final 100 m section leading to the finish line near the park pavilion. Teams may split the run into two segments.  The run course is flat with one minor incline. The road is graded and sanded prior to the race.