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NORWAY — The 10th annual Norway Triathlon, Maine’s toughest sprint tri, will be run Saturday, July 8, beginning at 8 a.m., sponsored by the Western Foothills Land Trust in collaboration with the Norway Arts Festival. This year, the triathlon committee decided to add 9 kilometers to the bike leg of the three-part challenge just for good measure.
The event is held in Pennesseewassee Park, located 3/10 of a mile west of the intersection of Routes 118 and 117, which comfortably accommodates the transition area, food and registration tents and awards ceremony. Families from the community wishing to use the beach, fishermen and other boaters are asked to stay out of the park until after noon when the race is over. Boaters may use the Norway Marina the morning of the race.
As always, the event will begin with a one kilometer swim in Norway Lake. Swimmers start in waves and are surrounded by a flotilla of safety kayaks and party boats with lifeguards on duty. After the swim, competitors run to the transition area, don their bike gear and hit the road. This year the bike course will go to Greenwood City and back for a total of 27 kilometers (up from 18k).
Once safely back in the transition area, competitors will secure their bikes, change into running shoes, and head out along Route 118 to Roberts Farm, where they will run on Libby Trail, catching a quick view of the lake and mountains before heading to the finish line in the park.
Once across the finish line, there will be a food tent set up by volunteers. When everyone is back, awards — the famous Norway Tri gold, silver and bronze cowbells — are handed out. The cowbells are symbolic as well as motivational, as proceeds from the Tri help support Roberts Farm Preserve — once one of Maine’s premiere Jersey dairy farms.
The Western Foothills Land Trust is still looking for volunteers to help keep this event safe and enjoyable; email staff@wfltmaine.org to volunteer.
There are still openings for individuals and teams this year; to register go to www.norwaytri.com.
The parking lots at Pennesseewassee Park will close at 4 p.m. Friday, July 7, so the transition area can be set up. Registration and packet pick up also will be held in the Red School House at the park from 4 to 8 p.m. Pennesseewassee Park will be closed until noon on the day of the triathlon to accommodate the event.
