Hamptons Youth Triathlon Returns This Saturday

The Hamptons Youth Triathlon returns this Saturday, July 15, to Foster Memorial Beach/Long Beach in Sag Harbor from 7 to 10 a.m.

Participants will swim 300 yards, bike 6 miles and run 1.5 miles. Although the triathlon is a “main event” for i-tri, a nonprofit organization based on the East End that promotes confidence and high self-esteem in young girls, it is open to all kids of all ability levels ages 10 to 17.

It is $45 with advance registration and $50 on the day of the event. To register or for more information, go to itrigirls.org.

The i-tri program is open to girls ages 11 to 14, offered in 12 different school districts from Montauk to Mastic. It includes a six-month program, running from February through June, that culminates in the triathlon. During those six months, participants meet twice weekly, for both physical training and weekly empowerment sessions. The program is offered for free for every participant.

Theresa Roden, the program’s founder, said i-tri, which is completely free for its students, has been working with over 175 middle school girls this year and is looking forward to this year’s race, its second year back after being shut down in both 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

“To address the ever-present adolescent mental health crises, i-tri has increased its focus on resiliency training and trauma-informed care and coaching,” she said. “i-tri is not just an athletic training program, we use the journey to the finish line as a metaphor for life’s journey. Along the way to the finish line, our participants come to discover that they are capable, brave and strong. Our empowerment curriculum is designed with a focus on social emotional learning and through the weekly sessions, the girls learn important life-long skills such as visualization and mindfulness.”