Try-Me Try-Athlon

All Parkland School Division students ages 5 and up are welcome to register for this event, providing their parents/guardians have:

• Made arrangements with a classroom teacher for their child to partake in the Try-Me Try-Athlon, including plans for missed assignments or work. 
• Notified the school office of the planned excused absence. 
• Prepared to be in attendance for the duration of the event, or made arrangements for a trusted adult to attend and be responsible for their child in their stead.

Parents/guardians will also be responsible for transporting their child to and from the event. 

While there are no additional fees outside of the registration fee, Try-Athlon participants are responsible for providing their own race kit equipment, as well as their own transportation to and from the event.

Students needing additional support developing a race kit or finding funding for the registration fee should contact Cathy Traynor at cathy.traynor@psd.ca or 780-984-1655.

Optional Team Registration

Students can choose to participate as a member of a team where each team member participates in one discipline of the event (i.e. the swimming, biking or running leg of the race). Each participant would then pay an entry fee of $15.

Please note:

• Even though a student may be signing up only to participate in one sport of the Try-Athlon, a registrant who opts to pay the $15 individual entry fee must register as a member of a 3-person team.
• If you are entering as a team, your team of 3 (one swimmer, one biker, and one runner) must be predetermined. The event coordinators will not create teams.

Students must be between 5-18 years old to participate in this event.

Registration and fee payment can be made through the PowerSchool Parent Portal:

1. Log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal at https://powerschool.psd.ca/public. If you have not yet set up your PowerSchool account, please contact your school for your access ID and password, and see our PowerSchool page for more information on how to set up your account.
    
2. Click on Student Fees in the Navigation menu at the left of the screen.
    
3. Click on the tab labelled with your child's name at the top of the screen.
    
4. Click on the Try-Athlon logo in the Additional Items list at the bottom of the screen.
    
5. Complete the registration form and pay the $35 registration fee.
    
6. Print out your registration fee receipt (optional).
    
7. Repeat this process (from Step 3) for every child you wish to register for the event.

Parents/guardians are welcome to join the event as a volunteer or donate to PSD Student Wellness to support physical literacy events and opportunities related to student well-being. For more information, contact Cathy Traynor at cathy.traynor@psd.ca or 780-984-1655.

Please note: Teachers, emergency personnel, district supports and trained volunteers are the only adults allowed on the Try-Athlon course.

Below is the recommended participation distance for your child by age. These distances align with the guidelines for youth competitors set out by Triathlon Canada. We allow athletes to participate up or down one level, based on your determination of their ability. Heats of the same age group/distance choice will be split or combined, depending on the final number of participants.

The following rules apply to all triathlons for youth and adults. All competitors are expected to know the rules and follow them at the event.

Uniform

• Athletes must cover their chest and stomach on the bike and run.

Swim

• No forward movement using bottom, lane ropes or walls.
• Athletes can stop to rest (stand up) but can only move forward by swimming.
• No flippers or propulsion devices are allowed.
• Kids 7 and under require a life jacket.

Transition

• Helmet must be fastened before touching the bike (after swimming).
• No riding in transition (walk bike to the mount line).
• Helmet must stay done up until after the bike is racked (after cycling).

Bike

• No drafting (riding right beside or behind someone).
• Athletes must stay three bike lengths behind someone unless they are passing.

Run

• No crawling! Walk, jog or run.

Specific rules regarding equipment are listed in Triathlon Canada's Guidelines and Rules Brochure.

You can enter the Try-Athlon with a minimum of equipment. All you need in your race kit is:

• A bike (either road or mountain bike)
• An approved helmet (ANSI or SNELL)
• Running shoes with good support
• Swimsuit or shorts
• Goggles (optional but recommended)
• Sunglasses (optional but recommended)
• Towel (optional but recommended)
• Hat (optional but recommended)
• Water bottle (optional but recommended)
• T-shirt (supplied) or race singlet for boys
• A smile and a desire to have fun

Transition Area Equipment

A race kit is composed of all the items you will need during the race. The following items are to be kept in the transition area during the race:

• Bike
• Helmet
• Shoes
• Race number (with shirt)
• Towel (optional but recommended)
• Hat (optional but recommended)
• Water bottle (optional but recommended)

Race T-shirts

As part of their registration, race participants will receive a free T-shirt in their group colour (red, orange, blue or green). We ask that participants wear these T-shirts during the bike and run portions of the race, as this will aid our volunteers in keeping track of the distances each participant is required to complete.

We have pre-ordered T-shirts in various numbers and sizes based on past participant data. We will do our best to supply participants with a T-shirt in their requested size and designated colour, but cannot guarantee that one will be available. For this reason, we ask participants to bring their own shirt for the race, preferably one that matches their group colour.

Race Kit Drop-off

Students needing additional support developing a race kit or finding funding for the registration fee should contact Cathy Traynor at cathy.traynor@psd.ca or 780-984-1655.

Participants are responsible for gathering their own race kit and ensuring it is dropped off during check-in/race kit drop-off time on race day.

Details specific to this year's Try-Athlon event and its participants can be found in the Shortcuts section above, including Details of the Day and the Course Map.

On Race Day

If you're attending or in the neighbourhood during the race, please anticipate heavy traffic in and around the Stony Plain Central School & SML Academy area. Parking will be available along 52nd Street and 55th Avenue, and in the Glenn Hall Centennial Arena lot. NO PARKING for Try-Athlon attendees will be allowed in the Westview School lots.

Please do not play in the École La Trinité playground on race day. 

Remember to Bring:

• Race kit equipment (see above)
• Course map (see Shortcuts section above)
• Comfortable clothing and shoes (dress for the weather)
• Sunscreen
• Water & snacks
• Your enthusiasm

The Great White North Triathlon (GWN) is an annual event held at the Allan Beach Resort west of Stony Plain since 1991. Approximately 800 athletes of all ages run the GWN triathlon courses (Olympic, Half, Team, Duathlon, Aquabike and Sprint) each year. They recently added a distance for Try‐A‐Tri (for competitors ages 14+) for the GWN race that takes place in Stony Plain in July. Check out the links below to register as a participant or a volunteer.

• Great White North Triathlon website
• Great White North Triathlon volunteer sign-up