Volunteers help make Chattanooga a star triathlon host

Triathletes make the transition from the swimming portion of the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon into the bicycling portion of the race on June 29, 2014.
Triathletes make the transition from the swimming portion of the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon into the bicycling portion of the race on June 29, 2014.

There is quite a lot that goes into bringing an event like the 2017 Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon to fruition. Nearly a year's worth of planning and preparation for a single day of competition is just scratching the surface.

And while athletes travel from 25 states to participate in the annual event being held Sunday morning, about 300 volunteers from the area gear up to help make it happen.

The triathlon is conducted by Birmingham- and Nashville-based Team Magic and the Chattanooga Track Club, which counts heavily on club members and many others.

"You get a lot of people who you can really count on and know what they are doing to put on a great event for these athletes, which really makes a difference," volunteer coordinator Sarah Barnes said. "You can't plan a race or an event like this without volunteers."

CTC president-elect Jenni Berz said the lengthy preparation would be for naught without them.

"(The Waterfront Triathlon) really is a yearlong planning process. Even today, I have already started to think about plans for next year," Berz said. "I will take a little break, but in a couple of months we really have to start planning again.

"Obviously, we can't do it by ourselves, so making sure that we continue to foster the relationships in the community that help make this race and our other races happen is important."

Rain often accompanies the summer triathlon, but it doesn't stop the flow of helpers.

"These volunteers are out there in soaking wet rain making sure everything is safe and (the event) is as good as it can be," Barnes said. "I have never seen them cancel the race, so rain or shine we are expected to be out there, doing whatever we have to do to get these athletes to the finish line."

Both she and Berz say that is how it's done in Chattanooga, which recently has become a hub for triathlons. While the Waterfront Triathlon has a long tradition, more and more interest in the sport has taken root in the community.

According to Berz, with the emergence of nonprofit organizations such as the Chattanooga Track Club, Triathlon Club, Bike Club and other such groups that have been providing programs over the years, anyone from a beginner to a pro-level athlete can find a fit in Chattanooga's triathlon arena.

"Chattanooga is extremely welcoming to the sport, and you have a lot of people who are really interested in being a part of that scene," Berz said.

"Ironman World is coming here, and what we have been told is the reason is because of the volunteers for it," Barnes said. "Chattanooga just stands out. People continuously step up because it is important for us to put on quality events."

Without the extra hands involved, Chattanooga would not be the success it has become.

"We couldn't do it without them. We couldn't do it without the volunteers," Berz said. "It definitely takes a partnership, and I am only as good as the volunteers that are out there handling all the different details on the course. I'm not doing that - the volunteers are."

Contact Tori McElhaney at sports@timesfreepress.com

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