C3 Kinetico Kids of Steel race coming May 24

May 15, 2015 · 0 Comments

Fifteen years ago, Caledon’s Olympic Hall of Fame Coach, Barrie Shepley got to watch his athlete Simon Whitfield win Olympic gold at the Sydney Games.
Shepley returned to Caledon and worked closely with many local families to create a local Kids of Steel Triathlon. More than 400 families attended that first event.
Over the fifteen years, 10,000 children and adults of all ages have crossed the finishing line and received the same Kids of Steel medal that Whitfield got nearly 30 years ago in his first race.
The event has a 3-5 year old age group category, where youngsters can wear life-jackets and every two-year age category right up to adults in their 70s. The swim-bike-run distances are very short and are set to encourage participation over being overly competitive. Every single child gets a finisher’s medal, a race t-shirt, post-race meal and a chance at prizes.
Race director Stewart Barclay and his team are once again hoping the local community invites their friends out to participate and even consider helping to volunteer.
Extra exciting this year, is the fact that Caledon’s own Andrew Yorke will be in attendance and handing out prizes and awards to the kids. Yorke is expected to race at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games in July.
“I am super pumped to get back home, see my family and volunteer for the May 24 Kids of Steel Day in Caledon,” Yorke said.
Yorke will be racing in Japan the week prior to the Caledon Kids of Steel Triathlon.
“I got my start in the Caledon Kids of Steel and I would not have made the national team had it not been for the opportunity to participate and learn to love the sport,” he commented.
Kinetico Canada is based in Caledon and has been a major sponsor of the event for more than a decade.
Supporting Kinetico are Royal Containers, Benson Steel, Caledon Hills Cycling Shop, Skechers Shoes, Cervelo Bikes and Nineteen Wetsuits. Families can race as a three-person team (one swimmer, one biker one runner) or people of any age from three up to 70s and beyond can participate individually.
There is no day-of registration for the pool Triathlon which is now based at Mayfield Pool and Arena in south Caledon.
For information and to register, check out www.c3online.ca