First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff said today that the Board of Selectmen will hear an application on Wednesday, March 25, from the Team Mossman Events for use of town roads for a triathlon and asked for public comment on the proposal.
“The proposed triathlon, to be held on Sunday, Oct. 11, will have some impact on town roadways for the majority of the day,” said Joseloff.
At Joseloff’s suggestion, the board postponed action on the application at its Wednesday meeting to allow more time for public input.
“The triathlon is being held in Westport for the first time and therefore the Board of Selectmen asks Westport residents to comment, both pro and con, before a decision is made,” he said.
Started in 1998, Team Mossman is a group of individuals living in or around Fairfield County who want to exercise in a group environment. A triathlon has three disciplines—swim, bike and run. Each of these elements for this triathlon starts and finishes at Sherwood Island State Park.
The triathlon starts with a swim at Sherwood Island State Park at 7 a.m., continues with a bicycle ride, and finishes with a foot race ending approximately 3 p.m. at the state park.
The half-mile swim begins at 7 a.m. at Sherwood Island State Park, and will take most participants about 30 to 45 minutes.
The bicycle portion of the triathlon is approximately 29 miles, and leaves from the state park with most riders starting between 7:30 and 8 a.m. The bicycle course travels on Sherwood Island Connector to Greens Farms Road to Beachside Avenue, through Fairfield, and back into Westport on Route 136 to North Avenue, Long Lots Road, Morningside Drive North and South, Center Street, on to Greens Farms Road and back to Sherwood Island State Park. Roads will be impacted for up to five hours for the bicycle portion with most participants finishing by noon.
Participants will then start the 10k (6.2 miles) foot race at approximately noon, again starting from Sherwood Island State Park on the Sherwood Island Connector, on to Greens Farms Road, Prospect Road, Hillspoint Road, Valley Road, Hales Street, on to Greens Farms Road and back to the state park. The foot race for most participants should take between one to two hours before finishing at Sherwood Island State Park.
Most participants should finish the triathlon by 3 p.m.
Organizers have agreed to hire police officers to facilitate traffic and have said that residents along the route will have ample opportunity to get in and out of their driveways during times participants are on the roadways.
To comment, or for further information, contact the Selectman’s Office via e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), U.S. mail at 110 Myrtle Ave., Westport, CT 06880, or phone at 341-1111.
I’m in favor, this sounds good to me.
Don’t we have a triathlon here every fall. I ran it once and have watched it for years. What is the REAL story here?
The real story is the impact that all the cycling/running events have on the roads from a safety aspect. When these events go down very narrow roads, such as Easton Turnpike/Rte. 136, and Greens Farms Road. As a town we have been very lucky that there have not been any major incidents during these events. Why put the town at an additional risk than what we already have ourselves exposed to?
Please post the routes for the biking and run along with the projected times for street closures on the Town web site so residents have an idea what they are commenting on.
Please link to it from an update from this site.
Submitted on behalf of Mike Laux long time Kiwanis member and local attorney:
The Westport Kiwanis Club has run the Minuteman Traithlon at Compo Beach since 1982. The event has drawn as many as 300 athletes, together with their families and support staff. This annual event has had the support of the community and the Town for more than 25 years. The venue has always been in and around Compo Beach, and the adjacent roads. Come out and enjoy it again this year on September 13, 2009
The Mossmen Triathlon club is a nationally recognized club consisting of athletes, from beginners to national champions. They organize races including swimming, running, biking and triathlons. They donate proceeds to many charitable organizations including Red Cross, Save the Children, St. Vincents Hospital, Cystic Fibrosis, American Cancer Society and others. Their races are expertly run and safety is a major consideration.
The Kiwanis triathlon is an annual event and is also well run and a lot of fun. It is a much shorter race and geared to local families and groups. The Mossman race would probably raise more interest in the Kiwanis race rather than detract from it.
The other points regarding safety and biking on the local roads are certainly valid ones but it should be known that the group applying to organize the race is one of the best at what they do.