The Swim for Smiles Youth Triathlon wouldn’t be The Swim for Smiles Youth Triathlon if it weren’t for the hard work friends, family, volunteers, community businesses, Chapel Hill and Carrboro town officials — and especially the kids — put into making this event an amazing success.
In all this celebrating, let’s not forget those that have helped spread the word about the triathlon — and even showed up to help us document all the fun and energy.
The Swim for Smiles Team would like to say thanks to all the news organizations that came out on Sunday to support us!
Here’s a snapshot of their coverage:
From News 14 Carolina
Huge thanks to News 14 Carolina’s Linnie Supall who captured the heart of the triathlon on video and wrote up a story on the event. Find the story and watch the video here.
Are you a news organization that covered the Swim for Smiles Youth Triathlon? Let us know! Email nc@swimforsmiles.org so that we can feature your news stories, too!
Online registration for the youth triathlon is now closed, but this year we’ll still have a few spaces available that you can register for on-site at Packet Pick-Up, which will take place both Saturday afternoon at Fleet Feet in Carrboro (from 3 – 7 p.m.) and also early Sunday morning before the race near the club house at the Chapel Hill Country Club. We will have a few spaces for both long and short courses. Only individuals will be able to register on-site (no relay teams).
The cost for registration is $100, which includes a t-shirt, magnet, water bottle and SFS sticker.
All racers must also be a member of USA-T, the organization which provides insurance for our race. If your racer is a current member of USA-T, you MUST bring your USA-T memberhsip card or proof of membership that has both the membership number and the expiration date visible. If your racer is not a current member, or forgets this membership card, you will have to renew the membership on-site, which is $15, and is good for one year. USA-T requires us to be sticklers about this, so please don’t forget!
You can pay for the registration and the USA-T membership with cash, check or via credit card (which will be processed through the SFS website). We will also need a registration form filled out, that includes a waiver. The waiver must be signed by a parent or guardian of the racer (unless he/she is 18 or over).
Packet Pick-Up will take place on Saturday, May 5th at Fleet Feet in Carrboro from 3 – 7 pm, or Sunday before the race starting at 6:15 am and closes at 7:30 am. It is highly recommended that you come to do on-site registration at the Saturday packet pick-up at Fleet Feet.
If you do come Sunday to do on-site registration, come as early as possible so we have time to process your paperwork and let you get set up before the race.
For more information about the race on Sunday–including course information, participant emails and more, click here.
CHAPEL HILL, NC (April 28, 2012) - The Swim for Smiles Foundation is hosting its 6th Annual Youth Triathlon on Sunday May 6 at the Chapel Hill Country Club. Registration for the triathlon is open to participants ages 5-19.
The 2011 event was the largest children’s triathlon in the United States, and readers of Durham-based Endurance Magazine voted it the “Best Kid’s Race in North Carolina” for the past two years.
The Swim for Smiles Foundation is a nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers. One hundred percent of the proceeds of the events run by Swim for Smiles are donated to the North Carolina Children’s Hospital.
This local event, which draws 70 percent of its participants from the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities, has raised more than $200,000 for the N.C. Children’s Hospital.
This year’s event features a grant that will allow 40 kids who would otherwise be unable to participate to take part in the competition.
Three of the winners from the 2011 Youth Triathlon medaled at the Youth Triathlon Nationals, but they won’t be the only stars there. Both Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt and Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton will be in attendance, and the King BMX Stunt Show will perform throughout the event.
The race features two courses, a short course for novice competitors and a longer course for more advanced competitors. The short course race will begin promptly at 8:05 a.m., and the long course race will start at approximately 9:10 a.m.
Sponsors of the triathlon include South Fine Gifts & Furnishings, TCBY, Le Bleu, Fleet Feet Sports Carrboro, The Michael & Laura Brader-Araje Foundation, Triangle Multisport, Caribou Coffee and New Balance.
A complete schedule of events, course maps, prize details and other important race day information can be found at www.swimforsmiles.org.
We’re excited to announce that the King BMX Stunt Show will be performing all day during the 6th Annual Swim for Smiles Youth Triathlon! Their bicycle performances feature high-flying aerial stunts, such as back flips and tail whips, and mind-boggling technical maneuvers executed on the ground and ramps. King BMX riders have competed at the X Games, Gravity Games and Dew Action Sports Tour, have been featured on Fox Sports and Monday Night Football.
These packets are basically an all-you-need-to-know document for race day. In addition to course maps, they include a schedule of events, prize details, transition area information, a packet pick-up schedule, tips for race day swim, bike and run and some details on the Finish Line Festival that will include ALL the special events from the 2011 race as well as a few more surprises.
So, if you haven’t already seen the race packet in your inbox, go here and download it!
If you’re taking part in this year’s youth triathlon, you might be interested in a 5 week clinic taking place at the UNC Wellness Center in Meadowmont. The clinic will help kids ages 7 – 12 develop the skills needed to finish a youth triathlon. Register here.
The youth clinic will meet on Wednesdays (4:00-5:00 p.m.) starting April 4 and ending on May 2. The cost is $100 and is limited to 20 participants so sign up today!
Monette Williams, a USA Triathlon coach, along with other coaches, will demonstrate, motivate, and teach the youth the steps and skills needed to finish a triathlon. The youth will have opportunities to practice the distances as well as learn how to transition from the swim to the bike to the run while having fun!
Equipment needed throughout the clinic: swim suit (goggles recommended), bike and helmet (no helmet- no riding), and athletic sneakers. Kids will learn how to go through each discipline by practicing each week with the group. All levels of youth participants are welcome as the race course is considered an easy triathlon. However, we do ask that kids are able to swim a length of the pool and that their bike is in good condition for safety purposes.
What to bring to the first class: swim suit (goggles recommended), athletic shoes, helmet and race outfit or appropriate training clothes to practice transitions. No bike is needed for the first class.
UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont
100 Sprunt St.
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Price:
$100 for the 5-week clinic
Distance:
You must be able to swim at least 1 length of the pool by yourself and ride a bike with 2-wheels.
Do I need to know how to swim, bike and run?:
Yes, we ask that you can swim 1-length of the pool. A helmet is required and you must be on two wheels. You can run or walk.
What Should I Bring to the first class?:
A swimsuit or race outfit, towel, swim cap and goggles (if you have one), bike helmet (no bike needed), and a big smile!!!! After checking in we will review the basics of triathlon and practice transitioning from the swim to bike (no bike is needed). Then, we will go to the pool to practice and simulate the swim portion of the race.
Where do we meet?:
The first class will meet in front of the Wellness Center outside under the awning. The WC will provide a towel and has locker rooms the participants may use for the afternoon.
Directions to the clinic location:
UNC Wellness Centers at Meadowmont 100 Sprunt St. Chapel Hill, NC 27517 From Greensboro or Raleigh, take I-40. Exit 273A (54 W) towards Chapel Hill for 2.1 miles Turn Right on Meadowmont Lane for 0.3 miles Turn Left on Sprunt St. UNC Wellness is on your Right.
Right of the bank I want to thank our savvy supporters and commenters who have contributed valuable suggestions and insight about the new Swim for Smiles site! We want this to be the go-to place for not only Swim for Smiles-related events, but for youth triathlons, in general.
New on the site you’ll find more prominent links to register for the 6th Annual Youth Triathlon and you’ll also find archived results from past races. Both the home page and Races and Events tab have prominent green buttons directing you toward registration. To access archived race results, just click the Races and Events tab and look for the long blue bar in the Annual Triathlon section that says “Click to View Archived Triathlon Results.”
Thanks again, everyone, and keep the constructive feedback coming!
CHAPEL HILL, NC (April 28, 2012) - The Swim for Smiles Foundation is hosting its 6th Annual Youth Triathlon on Sunday May 6 at the Chapel Hill Country Club. Registration for the triathlon is open to participants ages 5-19.
If you’re taking part in this year’s youth triathlon, you might be interested in a 5 week clinic taking place at the UNC Wellness Center in Meadowmont. The clinic will help kids ages 7 – 12 develop the skills needed to finish a youth triathlon. 
