Volunteers are needed for the Best in the West Triathlon competitions, to be held Sept. 8-9 at Lewis Creek Park on Foster Lake and on surrounding roads.
This year’s event will include the Northwest Collegiate Conference Championship, which will start immediately before the Olympic triathlon event on Sunday and will cover the same course.
Volunteers are needed from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. in capacities that include life guards, bike and run course marshals, aid station staff, registration and finish line activities and more. Those who need it will receive free camping privileges for the weekend along with a tech shirt, swag bag, event bandana, food, and Oakshire beer (for those over 21).
To sign up, visit http://www.bestinthewestevents.com/volunteers-2/.
The weekend starts Friday evening at Lewis Creek Park with free pre-race clinics on open water swimming and nutrition for competitors and other interested individuals.
Races begin Saturday morning with half-Ironman men starting at 8 a.m. and women at 8:05. The half-Ironman involves a 1.2-mile swim in Foster Lake, followed by a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile (half-marathon) run.
The men’s sprint event begins at 9 a.m., with women following at 9:05. The sprint distances are a 500-meter swim, 12-mile bike ride and 5K (3.1-mile) run.
Sunday’s events begin at 8 a.m. with the collegiate men’s start and the women at 8:05 a.m. The collegiate event and the Olympic event, in which the men start at 8:10 a.m. and the women at 8:15, includes a 1500-meter swim (just under a mile), a 40K (just under 25-mile) bike ride and a 10K (6.2-mile) run.
Race Director Blair Bronson said that registration numbers late last week were on pace to exceed last year’s total of around 200.
“We’re up to 190 participants pre-registered. Hopefully, we’ll hit 250 or so,” he said.
He said volunteers are encouraged to sign up by Thursday morning, but they can contact him after that by calling (541) 915-5116.
There’s always more places we can use bodies and volunteers and cheerleaders,” Bronson said.
“I have yet to see a race like this that has too many volunteers.”