On a clear Easter Saturday morning with a light breeze coming across the Sound, racers gathered early in Currituck Heritage Park. Dressed in their biking gear, armed with adrenaline they checked in for the Corolla Pedal-Foot-Paddle. Here they were to pit their stamina against the elements on the Northern Outer Banks: seven miles biking along the residential streets of the Whalehead community; two miles running along the sandy beach and one mile kayaking on the waves of Currituck Sound.
Fun was had by all including professionals like Lynnsie, who said: “The run was absolutely beautiful! This was my 7th triathlon and it is now my favorite and I will definitly compete next year” and novices like Roach, who explained: “This race in Corolla was great it is my first triathlon, i brought with me my 13, 15 year old children as part of the team and they enjoyed it as there first race ever. Also brought a friend or she brought me. It was a little challenging but great fun for all.” Another race review on www.active.com was from Elinor saying: “Great event! Perfect for adults and kids and took advantage of the natural beauty of Corolla. I loved the fact that it was not that competitive but really it was for the fun of it! We would definitely participate again next year.”
A huge thank you goes out to the many volunteers who woke up early to help with marshaling, water stations and timing service. And the biggest appreciation was earned by Coastal Explorations for providing all the kayaks and the hard work that went into maintaining that part of the race. In addition, heartfelt gratitude goes to Corolla Ocean Rescue who provided support vehicles, safety management and medical personnel which was the most important element of hosting a triathlon.
Photo by John Aylor of Corolla, NC.