By Dan Stillwell
Register-Herald Sports Writer
BECKLEY —
Is there a better location for a triathlon than The Resort at Glade Springs?
Competitors in the growing sport will find out for themselves Saturday at the Charlie Williamson Memorial Tri-athlon and 5-K run.
“We’ve got a site that’s really beautiful,” spokesperson Mark Rotollini said. “There’s beautiful water, a great bike ride and it’s a very professional event. People like it.”
The triathlon gets under way at 9 a.m. with a 750-meter swim in Chatham Lake, followed by a 13.2-mile bike race and concludes with a 5-K (3.5-mile) run.
Rotollini thinks the competitors will love Chatham Lake.
“It’s spring-fed and pristine,” he said. “It will be warmer this year, so no wet suits will be allowed if the water temperature is 74 degrees.”
The bike course is self-contained in Glade, with nice pavement and no traffic worries. It features rolling terrain and concludes at the Town Center near the clubhouse.
Runners should expect a significant uphill on the first part of the 5-K, but they’ll be rewarded with a nice downhill afterward.
Aid stations are set up every 1.5 miles for the runners. Competitors must finish in three hours.
The triathlon is sanctioned by USA Triathlon. Setup Events will time the events using a computerized racing chip system.
Awards will be presented at the post-party at Town Center. There will be food and music provided by the Backtimers.
At the request of the Williamson family, a separate 5-K run will also be conducted following the triathlon.
Charlie Williamson was a triathlon enthusiast who originally helped plan the event.
Dr. E.J. Salon, the triathlon president, said he and Williamson often competed in triathlons in Richwood and Huntington and decided to form their own triathlon.
“Charlie was a pleasant man. Everybody would say he was the most friendly triathlon athlete you would meet,” Salon said. “We formed a committee, but he had his accident in March.”
The committee forged on and named the triathlon for Williamson.
“One of Charlie’s dreams was to have a more healthy Beckley. He knew if you had a goal, you were more likely to get out and exercise,” Salon said.
“We do the triathlon to help the community as well as remember Charlie every year.”
Online registration for the triathlon and 5-K run is now closed, but participants can still register at the packet pickups which are from 3-7 p.m. at the Glade Springs Resort Hotel and from 7-8:15 a.m. at the race site.
The pre-race dinner is at 7 p.m. Friday at the Glade Conference Center.
Competitors must be 10 years or older for the triathlon and six years or older for the 5-K run.
Awards will be given to the top 3 in each category: Overall male and female, Masters male and female and age groups 10-15, 16-20, 21-25-26-30, 31-35, 36-40, 41-45, 46-50, 51-55, 56-60, 61-65, 66-0, 71-76, 76+.
Spectators are welcome for the events.
Including relay teams, around 120 people competed in last year’s event.
David Williams, 33, of Durham, N.C., was the winner in a time of 1:04.50.
He finished the swim in 11:33, the bike race in 33:25 and the run in 18:57.
R. Alexander Payne, 25, of Irmo, S.C., was second at 1:10.25, while Chris Thomas, 40, of Stony Point, N.C., was third at 1:10.57.
Nicole Thomas of Stony Point was the top female finisher, completing the course in a time of 1:23.48.
She finished her swim in 17:47, the bike race in 41:03 and the run in 23:32.
Krystle Bailey of Glenville was second at 1:28.41, followed by April Chapman of Beckley at 1:36.59.
— E-mail:dstillwell@
register-herald.com
