Chicago Triathlon Swim Canceled : The swim part of the Chicago Triathlon on Sunday was canceled due to dangerous waves. This is the second time in 2019 that the swim portion of the race was canceled due to bad weather. According to Robert Garren, a racer and Chicago police officer in the 18th District, waves hitting the shore wall caused a dangerous “washing machine effect.”
On Sunday, race officials emailed that the swim was canceled due to unfavorable conditions and a beach hazard issued by the City of Chicago. The National Weather Service warned of 3-6 foot waves near Lake Michigan’s shore.
In the races, no swimming occurred. Instead, people did a “duathlon” with biking and running phases. The race still began at the “swim start” spot on Lake Shore Drive and Balbo Drive. Competitors ran three-quarters of a mile north to the change area for their bikes.
The event started 15 minutes late at 6:15 a.m. The first winners finished on Columbus Drive, near Balbo, in just under two hours.
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Susan Galvin, a 60-year-old from Winnetka, said, “We couldn’t swim in that. It wasn’t safe to do that. About 38% of new participants this weekend skipped the swim in their first triathlon.
Everett Pain, a 16-year-old Hinsdale Central High School student and a young racer believes he is a better runner than a swimmer. Pain was relieved that the weekend temperatures were in the upper 60s and said, “100 degrees would be awful.”
The triathlon was supposed to start with a 0.93-mile swim, a 24.8-mile bike ride, and finish with a 6.2-mile run. Allison Wilkinson, a representative for the Chicago Triathlon, said 6,000 people participated.
Katie Pothier, 41, came from Atlanta to Chicago for her second triathlon, 20 years after her first one at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Pothier competed in the “triple challenge,” a combination of three events over the weekend. The total journey for this challenge is 59 miles, including swimming 1.63 miles, biking 46.3 miles, and running 10.85 miles. Winners receive a sporty jacket.
Pothier thought she was improving compared to 20 years ago despite recovering from a broken ankle. She confidently claimed, “I would’ve beaten everyone I raced against 20 years ago.”
On Sun, Aug 27, 2023, Chicago Triathlon players ran along the lakefront. Even without swimming, it showed their determination and athleticism.