Safety Boaters for Xterra Needed
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:42 am
It is time to ask for boaters to help with swim safety in the Xterra triathlons. The two races will be this Sunday, June 12, with the first race starting at 7:30 a.m. Boaters typically set shuttle and paddle down from Reedy Creek (ideal for all you early a.m. boaters!). Or you can leave your vehicle at the takeout and walk up to Brown's Island. We will meet by 7:00 a.m. at the Tredegar Ironworks boatramp. Anyone who is interested in helping, please PM me and I will send you the specifics for safety boating and the schedule. Be sure to give your email so I can include you in the group email list for this race.
The swim course is in the James River between Belle Isle and Brown's Island and will have over 1,000 competitors participating! There will be MANY "newbies" and novice athletes that will feel shaky about swimming in a river that has current. It would be great to see many boaters on the river that morning to help guide them. River level should be normal/moderate flows and that may make river currents pretty strong for the unexperienced swimmers. We can also use people IN the water where it is shallow or standing on a shallow boulder directing traffic. Without this safety, a lot of athletes would drop out in the middle of the swim and quit. We had about 14 boaters last year. That big presence was an awesome sight for Xterra Director, Dave "Big Kahuna" Nicholas and all the racers. Please take the time this Sunday to help on the water and give a HUGE boater presence.
PM me or call me at (804) 405-3767, if you want to help.
Neal Fleenor
The swim course is in the James River between Belle Isle and Brown's Island and will have over 1,000 competitors participating! There will be MANY "newbies" and novice athletes that will feel shaky about swimming in a river that has current. It would be great to see many boaters on the river that morning to help guide them. River level should be normal/moderate flows and that may make river currents pretty strong for the unexperienced swimmers. We can also use people IN the water where it is shallow or standing on a shallow boulder directing traffic. Without this safety, a lot of athletes would drop out in the middle of the swim and quit. We had about 14 boaters last year. That big presence was an awesome sight for Xterra Director, Dave "Big Kahuna" Nicholas and all the racers. Please take the time this Sunday to help on the water and give a HUGE boater presence.
PM me or call me at (804) 405-3767, if you want to help.
Neal Fleenor
The route is as rock-free as we can make a 1200 meter swim in that area and we need to mark as many of those rocks as we can. Boaters help tremendously with that part.