As a long-time supporter of paratriathlon in Canada, the 2014 Pushor Mitchell Apple Triathlon will host the Elite Paratriathlete Sprint during this year’s Apple, taking place the weekend of August 15 to 17 in Kelowna.
The Apple will also offer other top class triathlon events to satisfy the appetite of all ages, stages and abilities including the Paratriathlete Olympic race.
“Our experienced race director continues to optimize the course for paratriathletes and we are looking forward to seeing Canadian and other paratriathletes in action again,” said Mike Hassard vice president of the Kelowna Apple Triathlon Society.
Top international and Canadian paratriathlete Pierre Ouellet will be in Kelowna to take part and had the following to say about his participation in the Pushor Mitchell Kelowna Apple Triathlon.
“I twice participated in the Kelowna Apple Triathlon,” he said. “It is a very well organized race and beautiful site and the people and area are awesome. It is quite an active place and a region that I would like to live in.”
Paratriathlon events are for athletes with physical and visual impairments. The sport of paratriathlon will make its debut at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Paratriathlon is practiced in 37 different countries. Athletes race in three disciplines: 750m of swimming, followed by 20km of cycling and 5km of running. Competition categories are based on specific physical impairments. Athletes may use a hand cycle, tandem bicycle or bicycle in the cycling portion and wheelchairs are permitted on the running portion of the course. Paratriathlon is unique in that it fully integrates athletes with physical and visual impairments alongside their able-bodied counterparts at the same event.
Kelowna’s Pathways Abilities Society will be supporting the Paratriathlete races.
“Pathways Abilities Society helps those with developmental disabilities to become included in community through encouragement, education, and employment,” said Kim Harrison, employment developer at Pathways. “Organized sport is a great way to become connected to the community. We look forward to being part of this great event.”
Pathways will lend support by recruiting volunteers who will assist paratriathletes in transitioning between the swimming and cycling stages of the race.
“We are honoured to be hosting the Paratriathlete Elite Sprint and Olympic race and grateful for the assistance of Kelowna’s Pathway Abilities Society,” said Hassard.
The Pushor Mitchell Apple Triathlon will also be a qualifying race for the 2015 ITU Age Group World Championships in Chicago, offering three qualifying Olympic and Sprint distance spots per age group and gender. It will host three Elite races in total (Elite Sprint, Junior Elite Sprint and Elite Paratriathlete Sprint) as well as the BC Provincial Championships for the Junior Elite and Olympic distance Age Group events. It also includes the National U15 and Junior Elite Grand Final.
More details are available at www.appletriathlon.com or for more information on the Pathways Abilities Society go to www.pathwayskelowna.ca.
