SMSC, City of Prior Lake, and Three Rivers Park District co-sponsoring ninth annual event

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, along with the City of Prior Lake and the Three Rivers Park District, will co-sponsor the ninth annual Dakotah! Sport and Fitness (DSF) Lakefront Days Triathlon. The event will be held Saturday, August 2, at Cleary Lake Regional Park in Prior Lake, in conjunction with events surrounding Prior Lake’s annual Lakefront Days celebration to be held the following week.

In a time-trial start, swimmers will line up on the beach in order of their estimated swim time with two swimmers entering the water every three seconds. This type of start helps to spread out the anticipated 360 participants along the whole route and prevent congestion. 

Back this year is the team event in which three participants on each team complete one leg of the triathlon.

The triathlon will start at 8:00 a.m. with a 1/4-mile swim at Cleary Lake Beach. The swim will be followed by a 14-mile bicycle loop through county roads. The third component will be a 3.3-mile run through Cleary Lake Regional Park. This year an awards ceremony will follow the event, with awards going to the top three male and top three female finishers, as well as the first-place finisher in each of the men’s and women’s age group categories. All participants will receive a t-shirt and race bag in addition to a participation medal.

Age categories are 19 and younger, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and 70+ years of age. There are also team and elite categories for males and females who have a legitimate chance of winning the event.

"Each year we see a heightened level of opportunity and competition at the DSF Lakefront Days Triathlon," said DSF Director Tad Dunsworth. “Cleary Lake is a great place to hold a triathlon, and the strong partnerships have been essential in its success.”

The triathlon is made possible through the cooperation of a number of entities including the City of Prior Lake, the Prior Lake Police Department, the Scott County Sheriff's Department, the Prior Lake Chamber of Commerce, Cleary Lake Regional Park staff, and 75-100 volunteers along the routes. Timing is by Front Runner Events.

Registration and more info

The registration fee is $70 per individual or $90 per team. Registration closes July 28 or when the event fills. Participants may register online at http://endurancecui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=6329552. Mail-in registration forms and additional information are available at www.dakotahsport.com. For volunteer information, contact DSF Assistant Director and Race Director Renee Engeman at 952-496-6875.

Cleary Lake Regional Park is located at 18106 Texas Avenue, Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372.

For more information about the 31st annual Prior Lake Lakefront Days celebration on Aug. 7-9, visit www.lakefrontdays.com.