Building on their success from last year’s inaugural season, two Oakville moms are continuing to encourage families to spend active time together outdoors this summer.
Tri-FUN Kids’ Triathlons, founded by former marketing executive Lianne Warne and professional stunt woman Jen Stretch, is a triathlon series for kids ages 3 to 13. “We were talking in Jen’s back yard one day thinking of what we could do to help lower obesity in children and increase physical literacy,” says Lianne. Lianne’s son and Jen’s daughter had both participated in triathlons before, and the pair saw how much the little athletes enjoyed the day.
The pair was recently named First Runners up at the Mompreneur of the Year conference.
Tri-FUN events are tailored to age groups of 3-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13. The youngest group, for example, swims 15 to 20 m (with a parent alongside). Then they transition to a bike or trike, strapping on a helmet and lacing up their shoes. They’ll ride for 500 m, followed by a 100 m run. “The little ones take about 10-12 minutes to do the whole course. They love it,” says Jen. The oldest group has a 200 m swim, an 8 km bike ride and a 3 km run.
Tri-FUN managed to win the heart of Olympic triathlete Simon Whitfield. “He started competing in triathlons at age 11, so this really resonated with him,” says Lianne.
Events are June 28 in Vaughan, July 5 in Milton, July 26 in Mississauga and August 23 in Oakville (ages 3-9 only for Oakville event). The registration fee of $49 includes a race shirt, personalized bib, medal at the finish line, goodies from sponsors, plus other activities for siblings and parents in the Fun Zone.
For more information, visit TriFUNkids.com
