SOME 50 kids will be taking part in the two-day triathlon clinic which will start today at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in preparation for the 2012 Century Tuna SuperTriKids this Saturday.
The clinic will be conducted by national coach Melvin Fausto of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) as part of its grassroots development program in 2012.
After the clinic, the kids will undergo separate training in swimming, biking and running.
Tomorrow, the kids will be taught how to transition from swimming to biking to running. Afterwards, they will attend a nutrition orientation wherein they will be taught what to eat before, during and after the race. The second day will end with a technical briefing.
On race day on Saturday, a race briefing will be held before the start of the competition featuring 7, 7-8 years old, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-15 categories.
The distance for the swim, bike, run will differ per category.
TRAP’s Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez said that kids who prefer not to undergo the clinic will still be able to join the competition.
The SuperTriKids is part of TRAP’s talent identification project for the 2014 Nanjing China Youth Olympic Games. Those who show potentials will be further trained and developed.
Rodriguez said that depending on the number of participants, another clinic might be held next month.
“Hopefully it will become a series leading to the Cobra Ironman and eventually become an annual thing,” Rodriguez said.
Promoting grassroots in triathlon is also seen as a means to sustain the sport which waned after experiencing a boom in the 1990s.
Backing the event are Century Tuna, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa headed by GM Efren Belarmino, Runnr Shop in Ayala, Speedo Ayala, Rudy Project, Mayor Paz Radaza and Councilor Harry Radaza of Lapulapu City, Mayor Adelino Sitoy and Councilor Zimgil Sitoy of the Municipality of Cordova, Smart Communications and Dan Ramirez of Dan’s Bike Shop. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON