- John Dickson

Just a quick mention that it was on, like today, the last Sunday in August (the 26th that year) in 1984, that Owen Sound hosted its first Triathlon at Kelso Beach Park.

Presented by the Y (director then was Dave Simpson) and the Owen Sound Sun Times (Publisher then was Jake Doherty who was also Assistant Race Director that year), and with Dave Tannahill as Race Director, the event was billed as a Mini- Triathlon because the swim was about 700 metres instead of I KM, and the bike section was 28K instead of 40K.

The order was changed as well to Swim, followed by a 10K Run, and then the Bike - because of a concern by organizers for dealing with the heat and the feeling that if a participant was really failing if they were on a bike they could "coast a bit". (Triathlons were still pretty new in this area.)

In the three subsequent years - 1985, 1986, and 1987 the order was the typical Swim, Bike, Run. The bike section was extended to 30K.

Like many others from the Y, which produced a Triathlon training programme, I participated in that first event, which was, for me, sort of like a two hour fitness class. I did most of my running from the Y at noon hour, as well as swimming in the pool there. I managed to fit in some cycling before breakfast early in the mornings. I also practiced in open water swimming across Lake Charles with friend John Haddock, plus at Buck Lake near Huntsville. The week before the event, friend Brian Low and I did a practice run through at Kelso, "in big waves."

The event also featured relay teams in a number of categories, with each member doing one leg of the event.

The weather cooperated that first year, and was pretty successful - with the overall Male and Female winners each receiving a fine wooden Rocking Chair, with an engraved plaque on it.

Many dedicated volunteers, many of who were associated with the Y, helped to pull it off that year and for three more.

Each year the Sun Times printed the total results soon after the event. Special and fond Memories for me and many others too... and here's the T Shirt.