Surf & Turf Returns to Surf City

The usual laid-back lifestyle of Surf City will be temporarily put on hold Saturday when the Surf and Turf Super Sprint Triathlon begins. Competitors will be coming in from places as far away as California to bring home a trophy for athletic excellence.

The triathlon consists of the typical requirements with, of course, a unique Surf City twist. The three-sport race begins with a swim - a swim whose direction will be chosen on race day. If the current of the Atlantic Ocean is moving south, the swimmers will swim along with it. If the current is moving north, then north they will swim! Regardless of direction, the participants will swim out 150 yards out, 450 yards across, and 150 yards back to shore to begin the cycling portion of the race.

"What makes this race so interesting is that the swimming part is salt water swimming. Unlike many other races in the North Carolina Triathlon Series. It brings a different psychological factor for so many reasons. There's a current, there's the knowledge that you might be in water so deep you can't stop to rest," said Allan Libby, President of the Greater Topsail Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.

Libby also says that wetsuits are not just legal for the race, but recommended. They keep swimmers warmer than those without, and they help with resistance. Most, if not all, racers also wear attire underneath the suit, so they can shed it after the swim and lighten themselves for the following bike ride.

If swimming with a current sounds easy, the immediate bike ride and footrace will give the competitors 10 miles to rethink that thought. The first bike ride is a four-mile trek through Surf City.

Races who give it all they have on the bike ride might wish they had conserved their energy, because once the four miles are up, it will be time for a two-mile run. After the run, the athletes will be arriving where they previously left their bikes. They'll pick up those bikes again and peddle four more miles before the finally - a one mile run to the finish.

The Surf and Turf Super Sprint Triathlon will be the fifth official race out of sixteen in the North Carolina Triathlon Series. With a points system similar to that of a NASCAR season, competitors are attempting to win for the day, but also accumulate points in a season long competition. The top finishers in Saturday's race can use their points towards the season long battle.

230 people have agreed to participate in the triathlon so far, with as many as 300 expected to show up to this 14-year-old annual event. The race is open to anyone of any ability, provided they are age 10 or older.

The race will be divided into six different groups of competitors based upon skill level. Those interested in signing up for the race can find more information, (such as which group they should compete with) by logging on to www.setupevents.com. The cost is $100 for individuals, and $170 for relay teams.

Competitors will be showing up at the ocean at 6 a.m. with the first the beginners jumping in the water first, at 8 a.m. The more experienced groups of racers will be introduced to the water approximately every three minutes until the last ones are on their way. By 10 a.m. the awards ceremony will begin to honor those who placed in the race.

After all entry fee money has been used to cover the cost of the event, the rest of the proceeds will be used to benefit the Chamber's ability to promote Topsail Island. For more information, call the Topsail Island Chamber of Commerce at (910) 329-4446.