Ridgway YMCA looks for triathlon ideas to increase participation
RIDGWAY - The Ridgway Triathlon has been a popular community event in Elk County for the past 36 years.
However, executive director of the Ridgway YMCA Mary Lynne Bellotti said participation has continued to dwindle year after year.
"We're not drawing the numbers that we use to," Bellotti said. "We don't know if it's because less teams are participating and more individual athletes are doing all three events themselves."
The Ridgway Triathlon is unique because participants either canoe or kayak instead of swimming.
Bellotti said this year's triathlon, held in April, saw less than 70 participants.
"Going into it, I thought this would be our last year," Bellotti said. "But once I sat down and talked with some of the participants who said the triathlon can't end, I took it to heart, especially since we are such a small rural community."
The YMCA is encouraging anyone with ideas on how to revitalize the triathlon to attend a meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at the Ridgway YMCA on North Broad Street.
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