Kids to go the distance at Santa Barbara triathlon
By DAVE MASON, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
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| Drew Hobsheid participates
in the Santa Barbara Kids Triathlon in 2007 at the
Dos Pueblos High School pool. |
MIKE ELIASON
NEWS-PRESS
FILE |
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Marcella Young is doing her part to get kids off the couch and into an active
lifestyle.
As she has since the first year, the triathlete is organizing the fourth annual
Santa Barbara Kids Triathlon Saturday.
The event begins at 8 a.m. at Los Ba0x96os del Mar Pool, 401 Shoreline Drive.
The swimming portion will be at the pool, and bicycling and running will be
along Shoreline Drive, Cabrillo Boulevard and a nearby bike path.
"They're amazing. They're really, really fast," said Mrs. Young. "But
it's not about winning. It's about having fun and participating in a triathlon.
Our mission is to get kids out there. Exercise should be a part of their lives."
She expects at least 200 youths ages 7-15 to participate. Last year, 162 kids
attended at Dos Pueblos High School; she suspects that number was affected
by the Gap Fire.
Friday is the final day boys and girls can register for the event. The $50
fee helps to cover expenses.
The triathlon consists of a 100-meter swim, 5-kilometer bike ride and 1-kilometer
run for ages 7 to 10, and a 200-meter swim, 10-kilometer bike ride and 2-kilometer
run for ages 11-15.
While the emphasis is on fun, prizes of sporting goods will go to the first-,
second- and third-place winners of the categories for ages 7-8, 9-10, 11-12
and 13-15. Mrs. Young's son, Graham, 13, placed second in his age group last
year.
Each participant will get a finisher's medal and bag of surprises.
Last year, Ben Brewer, 10, had the best time in the course for ages 7-10 with
19 minutes, 21 seconds, while Ben Barthel, 14, topped the times for the longer
course for ages 11-15 with 15 minutes.
There's no nonprofit or company in charge of the triathlon; Mrs. Young operates
it with help from race director Jay Ritterbeck, a Santa Barbara triathlete.
Mrs. Young, who participated in 2003 in the Ironman Hawaii triathlon, started
the kids' event two years later for the youths she coaches during the annual
Momentum 4 Life summer camp at UCSB. (Mrs. Young, a registered nurse and case
manager for Astera Care in Santa Barbara, wasn't able to coach this year's
camp.)
Each year, a different charity benefits from businesses' sponsorships of the
triathlon. This year, Mrs. Young hopes to raise $10,000 for the Teddy Bear
Cancer Foundation. Sponsors get their names listed on event T-shirts, banners
at the triathlon and on the Web site, www.sbkidstriathlon.com.
Thirty-four businesses are donating money, food, prizes or advertising for
the triathlon, Mrs. Young said. She said the title sponsors are Drs. Robert
Ruby and Yvonne Rochon, partners in a Santa Barbara pediatric dental business,
who donate to the triathlon and solicit donations from other dentists.
This year's triathlon will include a drawing for prizes such as a bicycle,
skateboard and gift certificates. Proceeds from the $5 tickets will go to the
Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation.
For more information, call Mrs. Young at 570-4071 or go to www.sbkidstriathlon.com.
e-mail: dmason@newspress.com
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