Mike Collingwood Memorial Triathlon in Gatineau Park on Saturday, July 5
June 30 (Ottawa, Ont) – The gun will go off at 8:30AM this Saturday morning at Meech Lake for
the Mike Collingwood Memorial triathlon, the longest running triathlon in the National Capital
region. Formerly the OAC Meech Lake Triathlon, the event was renamed last year after the
passing of its race director who had been with the event since it started 26 years ago.
Collingwood had been considered the hardest-working volunteer in the Ottawa sporting
community.
“This race has a long history,” says Julia Aimers, 2008 Race Director, who along with Marc Roy
of Sportstats, Collingwood’s three daughters and a team of volunteers have kept the event alive.
“Triathletes keep coming back year after year because they love the course. They are used to
training in the Gatineau Park but it’s only because of Mike that we’ve been able to keep holding
the race there,” says Aimers.
Competitors will start their day with a 1200m swim from Blanchette Beach in Meech Lake. They
will then mount their bikes and climb Fortune Lake hill before completing the 24k bike leg. Then,
they’ll switch into running shoes for the 6.4k run leg along the Gatineau parkway.
Throughout the years, many of the region’s top triathletes have competed in the event, including
Olympian Sharon Donnelly. Organizers are expecting a sold-out field again this year.
In the spirit of Collingwood’s will to volunteer, organizers are making the 2008 event a completely
non-profit, volunteer event, with proceeds going to Ottawa Heart Institute and the Mike
Collingwood Memorial Fund in support of his other favourite charities.
“Heart disease has really hit our triathlon community hard in the last few years,” adds Aimers.
“We’ll help whatever way we can.”
For more information, visit www.meechlaketri.ca.
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