by Richard Uhlhorn
The 11th annual Chelanman Multisport Weekend begins at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning when the Long Course Triathlon swimming section begins on the west shore of Lakeside Park.
Triathletes hit the water early Saturday morning in wave after wave.
Upwards of 2000+ athletes will compete this weekend for glory of winning or just the fun of competing in what is Chelan’s largest event.
Over 200 volunteers make Chelanman successful every year.
Parking is an issue, so competitors and their families are encouraged to use the bus transport from the Chelan Ball Fields to Lakeside Park.
If you plan on traveling to Wenatchee or other places south of Chelan, consider using Hwy 97 on the east side of the Columbia River to alleviate any delays in your travel plans.
Traffic is not conducive with Chelanman. If you must travel south, use Hwy. 97 on the east side of the Columbia River
If you are competing in the event… enjoy. The weather is supposed to heat up by Saturday and the water is around 70 degrees.
A lot of athletes competing in Chelanman are anchored with family and friends cheering them on throughout the event.
Chelanman is a non-profit event with all proceeds, beyond the professional services hired to make the weekend smooth, going to the Lake Chelan Multisport Foundation. One hundred percent of the net proceeds are donated to the Foundation and over the years have helped fund arts, literature, science and wellness programs for youth since 2007 throughout the Lake Chelan Valley. For a full list of programs that have benefited from the event’s foundation, go here: http://chelanman.com/about_32.html.
Saturday’s schedule is as follows:
- 5:00 AM
Buses begin transport of athletes and fans from Chelan Ball Fields to Lakeside Park at corner of Center Street and West Terrace. Parking is not available at the park or on the highway outside of the park. **Vehicles parked on the highway will be towed** - 5:30 AM – 8:00 AM
Race Expo open - 6:30 AM
Long Course Racers warm up at swim start - 6:50 AM
Swimmers out of water - 7:00 AM
ChelanMan Long Course Triathlon waves start - 7:15 AM
10K and Half Marathon begin on East Center Street. - 7:30 AM
Olympic Triathlon & Collegiate Triathlon waves start - 12:00 PM
Awards for Olympic Racers begins - 3:00 PM
Awards for Long Course Racers begins
Lakeside is a small community and parking is at a premium. Racers are encouraged to take advantage of the bus transport to get to and from their vehicles at the Chelan Ball Fields.
Sunday’s schedule
- 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Buses begin transport of athletes and fans from Chelan Ball Fields to Lakeside Park at corner of Center Street and West Terrace. Parking is not available at the park or on the highway outside of the park. **Vehicles parked on the highway will be towed** - 8:00 AM Sprint age group waves start
8:30 AM Try-A-Tri age group waves start - Each wave is made up of 50-60 athletes and start every 5 minutes based upon age group
- 08:45 AM Youth Triathlon Ages, 11-15. 400 m swim, 13.2 bike, 5 k run (30 athletes per wave)
- 12:00 PM Splash n Dash
50 meter swim/(wet run if needed), 1500 meter bike and 300 meter run. All in the park.
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