After one-year hiatus, triathlon coming back to town July 11

By Casey Olson • May 12, 2010 6:38 pm
A cyclist rolls in front of Steel Lake Park during the 2008 U.S. Women’s Triathlon. The event will return to Federal Way in July following a one-year hiatus.
A cyclist rolls in front of Steel Lake Park during the 2008 U.S. Women’s Triathlon. The event will return to Federal Way in July following a one-year hiatus.

After a one-year hiatus, the United States Women’s Triathlon Series

(USWTS) is back in Federal Way.

Steel Lake Park will again host the second stop on a three-city national triathlon series. The 2010 event will take place July 11, which will be the sixth time that Federal Way has hosted the event.

But this year marks the first time that the U.S. Women’s Triathlon Series will be held in July. During its previous five appearances, the race was held in September. Organizers moved the event to July to encourage more interest. The event is now one of the first all-women triathlons in the Puget Sound area.

Organizers are expecting over 1,000 athletes to pack Steel Lake Park. The Federal Way event is the second of the three-race U.S. Women’s Triathlon Series, which also includes stops in Illinois, Texas and San Diego.

The race didn’t come to Federal Way last year. Officials from the USWTS pulled the plug on the event because they weren’t seeing the growth they expected.

“They called and said they have to pull out,” said Patrick Doherty, the city’s economic development director, at the time. “It just kind of blew up on them.”

The 2008 triathlon drew just over 700 participants and rave reviews from fans and athletes because it featured one venue that is able to house transition areas for all three events — swim, bike and run — along with the finish line. That is different from a lot of the other large triathlons around the country.

A portion of the proceeds from the U.S. Women’s Triathlon Series benefits The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, Inc. (OCRF), which is devoted to the formulation of early diagnostic treatment programs and research toward the ultimate conquest of ovarian cancer.

For more information on the U.S. Women’s Triathlon Series, including how and where to register or to volunteer at the event, visit www.caprievents.com. Participants can run as individuals or in relay fashion. Entry fees range from $75 to $140.