Benny Westcott
By Benny Westcott
Of The New Era
The 11th annual Best in the West Triathlon Festival is a go this year, from Friday through Sunday, Sept. 17-19, even with slightly fewer participants than usual.
“Right now, registration to date, we are at about 715 people, when usually we’d be closing in on 800,” said Race Director Blair Bronson, who founded the triathlon as a project when he was a student at Oregon State University. He now directs it with his wife Stacy, an OSU anatomy and physiology professor.
Slight modifications for social-distancing purposes are being made this year to minimize road impact and lessen the number of necessary volunteers, Bronson said.
Saturday’s long-course bike route features two laps with a turnaround near the Berlin and Bellinger road intersection rather than the usual one larger lap. In addition, Saturday’s run courses are all on North River Drive as opposed to the usual routes that include part of Quartzville Road. Sunday’s race routes remain unchanged.
Even with modifications, this year’s shaping up to be much more of a return to normal than last year’s event, which capped at 200 athletes per day and 50 volunteers to comply with the state’s COVID-19 regulations. Ultimately, the 2020 numbers were fewer, as fire smoke moved the competition back to the weekend after it was originally scheduled. Around 60 people ended up racing over a three-day period.
“We had the course marked and people could come out over the course of three days. They could participate on the course whenever they wanted, but they had to bring their own supports and fuel,” Bronson said of the 2020 festival.
The full 2021 slate, however, includes a Half-Iron, Kids Splash & Dash, Olympic, Sprint, Super Sprint, 5- and 10K, a half-marathon, Beer Mile Relay, Aqua Bike, Aquathon, Duathlon, Paddle Triathlon and a triathlon.
Also featured is a mixed-team relay, the first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, according to Bronson. The event has gained notoriety since its two-male, two-female structure was featured in Olympic competition for the first time this summer in Tokyo. The Best in the West’s version sees all participants swimming, biking and running before the next team member goes.
In response to COVID-19, Bronson said the event will be “more spread out” than usual. “We’ve been adjusting plans to meet the state’s criteria, and we won’t know for sure exactly what that will be until race week,” he said.
“The whole thing’s outdoors, so it’s pretty easy to keep people spaced out. Before and after the race, if you’re standing in line, you’ve got to wear a mask. On the courses, everyone is moving so quickly that there’s no need for masks out there. But if you are on one of the shuttles in an enclosed space, state rules still apply.”
In an effort to maintain space between people, event organizers are aiming for a target of about 250 volunteers, down from the typical 400 from past years, not including set-up.
Volunteers are always needed.People interested in volunteering are encouraged to email [email protected].