TRIATHLON - Olympic athlete's visit has youngsters fired up

ALL it took was a few inspiring words from an Olympic athlete and the entries for the fifth annual Allens Northland Kids Triathlon started flooding in.
At least from Whangarei Primary School.
Olympic triathlete Sam Warriner was in Whangarei yesterday visiting schools to give pupils a few pointers about being a triathlete, but more specifically about getting ready for the Northland Kids Triathlon at Onerahi on Sunday, March 9.
Organisers are trying hard to get a maximum field of 1000 Northland children involved, with school visits in Whangarei this week designed to get more school pupils entered.
But with the race day now just two weeks away Warriner is keen for children to get officially registered.
"The kids gets so excited about the event. They love getting involved and each year the excitment on their faces on race day at Onerahi is just inspiring," Warriner said.
"From my point of view the more kids doing triathlons the better."
Race director, Murray Healey of Fat Dog Cycles, said entry forms had been posted to every primary and intermediate school in Northland, but getting children registered was always a difficult task.
Healey said the event was designed to give Northland children the opportunity to take part in a triathlon in Northland.
The only other similar event was held in Auckland which made it difficult for many Northland children to take part.
"This is a Northland event, sponsored by Northland companies like Allens, More FM and The Northern Advocate, that we originally decided to put together so Northland children got the chance to experience a triathlon.
"It is a huge task and about now every year we wonder what we have got ourselves involved in," Healey said.
"Then we see kids getting so excited like they were at Whangarei Primary School [yesterday] and it all starts to make sense," Healey said.
Every entrant goes in the draw to win one of 10 Apollo bikes.
On race day every competitor is given a race pack with about $50 worth of goodies included and is presented with a finisher's medal. Entry costs $10.
" Want to enter the Allens Northland Kids Triathlon? Go to www.northlandtri.co.nz or ask for an entry form from your school.