Exciting news for Southern Arizona endurance athletes and spectators: an Olympic Distance triathlon is coming back to Sahuarita on May 2nd!
Swim, bike and run at TriZona at Sahuarita, a USA Triathlon-sanctioned event. The excitement starts at Club Rancho Sahuarita with a .9 mile swim in Sahuarita Lake, a 25 mile bike ride south toward Green Valley and a 6.2 mile run through Rancho Sahuarita on the community trail system.
The TriZona at Sahuarita event is presented by Haka Multisport, and will be directed by 5430 Sports, a veteran endurance event organizer with ties to the World Triathlon Corporation (IRONMAN). Three hundred participants are expected, along with hundreds more spectators and supporters.
Rancho Sahuarita residents are encouraged to come out for this unique sporting event. The first waves of swimmers will take to the water at 7 a.m.; the Awards Ceremony is at 10:30 a.m.
“We have an excellent community for athletic events,” says Michelle Moreno, campus director of Rancho Sahuarita. “Triathlons in particular are well suited to Rancho Sahuarita because we have beautiful and safe areas for the cycling and running legs, and obviously Sahuarita Lake is unmatched in the area for triathlon swimming.” According to Moreno, food trucks will be on-site at Club Rancho Sahuarita for hungry spectators.
A triathlon was last held in Sahuarita in 2010. At the time, the Sahuarita Lake Triathlon was a qualifier in the “Best of the U.S.” triathlon events. Before the last triathlon in 2010, Sahuarita Lake had hosted triathlons for nearly ten years, beginning with the “Rancho Sahuarita Triathlon” back in 2002.
The Rancho Sahuarita Management Company is thrilled to welcome this athletic event back to the community and to support the event as the Host Site Sponsor.
“Sporting events are unique community events because they are universal in their appeal; everyone is excited to come out and cheer on their friends and neighbors,” says Jeremy Sharpe, vice president of community development at Rancho Sahuarita. “It has been far too long since Sahuarita hosted a triathlon, and we are tremendously excited to bring TriZona to the community. We hope it is the beginning of many future triathlons in Rancho Sahuarita.”
Rancho Sahuarita management expects a large influx of traffic into the community as athletes and spectators from across the region visit Sahuarita for the triathlon. “In addition to being a unique event for Rancho Sahuarita residents, this triathlon is an opportunity for people who don’t live here to see firsthand how unique and beautiful the Sahuarita community is,” says Sharpe.
To register as a participant in the TriZona at Sahuarita triathlon, visit SahuaritaTri.com. Participant space is limited.