Lake Aspen is headquarters for the 2017 Valley of the Sun Triathlon. The swim and transition areas occur within the shaded business park. A fast, flat course winds between orchards while the Naches and Yakima Rivers add to the countryside beauty.  The newly completed Yakima Greenway promises to give runners a quick out and back split. The Valley of the Sun is offering an Olympic distance course in 2017. The Olympic course is an extension of the current Sprint race. Choose the either the Sprint (750m swim, 12 mile bike and 5k run} or Olympic (1.5k swim, 41k bike and 10k run) distance as an individual or create a team to compete.

Olympic competitors start at 7:30am in the water with two different waves anticipated. Sprint competitors will begin at 8:10am in a minimum of two waves.  Bikers head toward Naches on the South Naches Highway, with turn arounds at Young’s Grade and Ranger road returning to Lake Aspen transition area.  Runners exit for a short distance on 16th Avenue then race onto the Yakima Greenway. Sprint athletes turn around before 40th Avenue while Olympic athletes cross over the old train trestle between Yakima and Gleed before returning to the Lake Aspen finish line on the grassy lawn.

Finishers will be greeted with music, light refreshments for athletes and the awards ceremony following as soon as possible after the conclusion of each race.

Registration is limited to the first 200 for the Sprint and 100 for Olympic distances. Early bird pricing begins Dec1, 2016 through May 31, 2016. Full price runs June 1-25, 2017. Late and race day registration is available at a higher cost with no shirt guaranteed.

Awards

First, second and third place male and female finishers in the Overall, Masters, Grand Masters, Clydesdale and Athena will receive special awards in both distance events. Relays will have first, second and third place awards categories. Overall top three finishers are excluded from age group placement. Every competitor who crosses the finish line will receive a medal from the Valley of the Sun 2017 Triathlon.  No awards will be mailed so plan on staying for the ceremony.