Thirty teenagers from Lancaster and Morecambe are taking on a triathlon challenge this summer.
The young people, aged 13-17, have been training for the Morecambe Bay Youth Triathlon since April, supported by instructors from BayFit Performance PT in Lancaster, and are swimming, cycling and walking for miles during July and August.
Devised by Lancaster & Morecambe Youth Partnership, the triathlon is being managed by Lancashire Youth Challenge, Morecambe’s Bay Leadership Academy School, and Stanleys Community Centre in Morecambe.
Some of the teenagers are participating in the entire triathlon, while others are taking part in one element of the challenge.
The triathlon kicked off with a 70-mile cycle challenge over two very hot days from Walney Island to Witherslack in Cumbria, finishing on Morecambe Promenade. At the end of their marathon ride, the cyclists were congratulated by wheelchair rugby paralympian and gold medal winner, Stuart Robinson, MBE.
Lancashire-based Go Velo prepared the teenagers for the ride with bikeability training, cycle maintainance and road safety advice.
Then the young people dived into the second part of the triathlon, a virtual swim of Morecambe Bay which involved swimming 520 lengths (eight miles) in relay of the pool at Salt Ayre Leisure Centre where they have received water safety training and swimming lessons in preparation for the event.
The triathlon concludes on 6th August 2022 with a walk across Morecambe Bay to raise money for CancerCare.
Lancashire Youth Challenge chief executive, Guy Christiansen, said: “I wanted LYC to organise a triathlon before the pandemic so it’s great that we now have a chance to bring young people from across the district together, get them out and about, and give them the opportunity to take part in a fantastic challenge.“
The triathlon has been made possible with funding from the Westminster Foundation via Lancaster District CVS, Sport England (Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Activity Fund); Children In Need (DCMS Youth Investment Fund; and Lancaster City Council.
Lancashire Youth Challenge is a dynamic charity which enables young people to build confidence and resilience via an exciting year-round programme of personal development and wellbeing programmes, creative arts activities, community impact projects and cultural education events.