A total of 51 youngsters in various age groups from seven to 15 will take part in this morning’s BTA Junior Triathlon at Clearwater Beach starting at 7.45am.

The event replaces the IronKids race which was cancelled for a second straight year, with the youngsters gearing up to compete in the first triathlon of the year. There will be four categories, age 7 to 10 will compete on mountain and racing bikes, while the 11 to 12 and 13 to 15 participants will compete on racing bikes.

“We have a junior development squad, ages 13 and up, kids who we have identified as talented and might want to continue with triathlon as they get older,” said official Sharon Hammond.

That squad includes triathletes like Jamie Bedford, S’nia Cumbermack, Daria Desmond, Callum MacFarlane and Fenella Wightman while the younger age groups have the likes of Rory Sheppard, Jake Smith, Jackson Langley and Jacob Wright.

The event will enable the youngsters to prepare for the duathlon that will be part of the World Triathlon Sprint and Relay Championships on island in October.

“We will be holding free clinics, probably starting in September, for any child who would like to do duathlon and enter to race in October,” Hammond added.

“We will be sending out information to schools and we urge parents to keep their eyes out for the clinics. For children who don’t have bikes we will have bikes that we can loan.

“We are trying to encourage as many kids as possible to participate in a multi-sport event such as a duathlon, which is a run-bike-run.

“In the lead-up to the October race, a purely adult race, but the night before everything starts off there will be a kids duathlon like in previous years.”