Welcome to the 2008 Saplingathlon! The Saplingathlon is a FUN race for kids who like to ride their bikes and run around (i.e., ALL kids). It's also a great way to introduce your little ones to the sport of triathlon.
The Saplingathlon will start after the Treeathlon, sometime after 10:30 am. The format of the race is a "fun activity" (see below) followed by the biking leg, followed by a run. There is no swim in the Saplingathlon.
Children will be divided into the following age groups, with the following approximate distances:
Age 6 and under (Acorns): 1km bike, 250m run (tentative course map)
Age 7-8 (Pinecones): 2km bike, 500m run (tentative course map)
Age 9-10 (Twigs): 3km bike, 750m run (tentative course map)
Age 11-12 (Firewood): 4km bike, 1000m run (tentative course map)
Children will go in waves, starting with the older children first. The race will have the same finish location as the Treeathlon.
With the exception of parents of Acorns, no parents are allowed on the course during the Saplingathlon. For the Acorns, one parent may be on the course to provide encouragement, wipe away tears, or carry sippy cups and snacks. Volunteers will monitor and assist kids of all age groups on the course.
Each child needs sneakers, a bike or trike, and a properly fitting ANSI-approved bike helmet. (You must have each of these items to participate.) Triathlon-specific bicycles and shoes may be used if a child has them, but regular bikes with banana seats, baskets, streamers, and Barbie stickers, or mountain/BMX bikes are welcome and encouraged for the Saplingathlon.
In order to avoid a mass bike start, there will be a fun, short and somewhat challenging activity for all kids to perform before they get on their bikes. (This makes the race less like a duathlon and more like a triathlon of fun-bike-run.) The "fun" activity will be announced on race day - examples of possible fun activities include: making a paper airplane, running a small obstacle course, hula hooping, jumping rope, hopscotch, or (for the Acorns) just throwing a ball in the right direction.
To keep your children occupied while they are not biking and running, there will be a jump house (aka moon bounce) for them to play in.
All Saplingathlon participants will receive a t-shirt. The top three boys and girls in each age group will receive a prize.
NOTE: Registration closes Friday, February 29, 2008 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
Walk-in registration will be available at all packet pick-up times, as well as race day before 10 AM.
Children must be USA Triathlon members to compete in the Saplingathlon. The cost is $5 per year. If your child is already a USAT member, enter the membership number on the appropriate line online or on the registration form. If your child is not yet a USAT member, sign up on the USAT site here before registering, or pay the $5 fee when registering online or with your mail-in registration form.
The Saplingathlon costs $25 plus an additional $5 for a one year membership to USAT (if your child is not already a member).
Register online here.
After February 17th, the registration cost increases by $10.
For mail-in registration, fill out the Saplingathlon Registration Form and send it to the following address:
Stanford Triathlon
Club Sports - Stanford Athletics
641 E Campus Drive
Stanford, CA 94305
The Saplingathlon is sanctioned and insured through USA Triathlon; therefore all competitors must hold a USAT license. The membership dues are used for the development, research, and upkeep of USA triathlon age-group programs (including kid's programs), such as championships, event sanctioning, officiating, rankings, membership, media, etc. To view all of the benefits of a USAT membership, go here.
Packet pick-up for the Saplingathlon will be the same as for the Treeathlon; you can find those times here. In addition, packet pick-up, as well as race-day registration, will be available race day before 10 AM for the Saplingathlon ONLY.