10:00am Friday 23rd October 2009
By St Helens Star newsdesk
WITH its challenge of skill, strength and endurance, triathlon is becoming one of the fastest growing sports in the UK – and now one club is keen to give young enthusiasts a taste of the action.
Ashurst Bike Club is a locally based triathlon organisation for people keen to take on the test which involves swimming, cycling and running.
It has now introduced a junior section to take advantage of a surge of interest in the event and to give children an alternative to the more traditional sports.
Already it’s proving a hit, with member, Christopher Lamb, aged 10, winning a race at the Salford Children’s Triathlon this year.
More than 100 children also experienced a triathlon during this year’s St Helens Festival, thanks to an event organised by Ashurst Bike Club.
The club is giving youngsters the chance to put their training into practice, and this Saturday October 24, will see an aquathlon – which involves a swim and a run – take place from 9am at Selwyn Jones Leisure Centre, Newton-le-Willows.
Stuart Foster, of the Ashurst Bike Club, said: “Triathlon isn’t only for extreme fitness enthusiasts. The sport caters for all abilities by providing race distances that are suitable for most fitness levels.
“There is a level of participation for anyone that wants to give the sport a go. Whereas a small amount of people taking part in triathlon do so to win, most athletes are motivated just to complete the challenging swim, bike and run course or to improve on their personal best.”
Ashurst Bike Club Juniors is open to boys and girls from the ages of nine to 18 and aims to provide structured, progressive and fun training tailored to an individual’s fitness and skill.
Swim training takes place on Saturdays from 9am at Selwyn Jones. The cost is £3, and sessions focus mainly on front crawl improvement and fitness.
Cycling/running training is on Wednesday, from 6pm to 7.30pm, at Cowley Language College gym. The cost is £1, and sessions involve indoor spin cycling, circuit training and running.
Training sessions will be geared towarsds a duathlon (run/bike/run) at Cowley Language College on December 12, and the final aquathlon event takes place on January 30.
Further details and an application form from ashurstbc.org.uk/ABC_Juniors.htm.
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