It was a day of family fun and active living at the Moose Adventure Challenge triathlon this past Sunday at Moose Lake Provincial Park.
Athletes of all ages formed teams of two or four, competing in canoeing, biking and running portions of the event.
The four-person team "Two Hotties and Two Old Guys," including Emile Dumont, Rachel Dumont Playfair, Gilles Dumont and Rene Champagne, finished the course first, while Jeremy Sawyer and Jarin Dube of team "Got the Runs" finished first for teams of two.
But for the most part, athletes were there to have fun, regardless of how their team finished, said Florence Senecal, member of the organizing committee and health promotions facilitator with Alberta Health Services.
"It's a great time for everyone to come out and have some fun with friends and family," she said. "This is a chance to be active, use the park, and just be in the beautiful outdoors."
As beautiful as the park is, sometimes the weather does not co-operate. Rain fell for most of the day, but Senecal said the weather did not dampen spirits.
"The weather hasn't deterred anyone," she explained. "It's actually added to the challenge."
Thirty-eight athletes entered the triathlon, including 11 teams of two and four teams of four.
One of the athletes competing was Brad Krawchuk. He and his friends often compete in other challenges and marathons, but he said this is one of his favourite events because of its proximity to the community.
"This is a really fun event," he said. "It's close to home and you can see the community spirit in everyone."
Competitors and fans cheered as teammates crossed the finish line.
"It's good to see the locals out getting involved," said Krawchuk. "The community seems to be keeping more and more active."
Staying active is what this event is all about, explained Senecal.
"Participants can go at their desired pace and just enjoy the event."
Though the challenge was cancelled last year, this will be the third consecutive year it was planned and Senecal would like to see it continue annually, as plans are already in the works for next year.
"We want to keep this going. We want to make it an annual event."
