Wet Dog Triathlon fundraiser set for Decatur

DECATUR – Point Mallard has gone to the dogs.

We’re talking figuratively, not literally.

In fact, we’re talking about the annual Wet Dog Triathlon. Now in its 24th year, the annual competition attracts more than 100 athletes and serves as a fundraiser for a local nonprofit organization Mosaic Mentoring of North Alabama.

The Wet Dog Triathlon takes the plunge 7 a.m. on June 8 with a 400-meter swim in the Tennessee River. Then, the athletes take a 15-kilometer bike ride and wrap up the day with a 5-kilometer scenic run along the river bank. The competition finishes around 11 a.m. following an awards ceremony.

The swim course, a simple out-and-back, is 400 meters in a tributary of the Tennessee. Al swimmers must wear a bright-colored swim cap (no black or brown). Participants enter the swim based on their race number, from lowest to highest number. Race numbers are assigned based on the estimated swim time provided by participants on their entry form. Swimmers can move back in line, but cannot move forward.

The bike course is a 9.3-mile out and back from the transition area to Rhodes Ferry Park. It is primarily flat and fast. Participants must mount and dismount in the mounting area. Although the police will be on hand, roads will not be closed. There will be a sweeper to bring the abandoned to the transition site.

The run course is a 3.1-mile loop with a mix of trail, blacktop, and asphalt. The course follows the Point Mallard Run/Bike Trail along the banks of the Tennessee with a couple of small rolling hills.

Residents are advised to be aware and to plan accordingly when visiting Point Mallard Park and surrounding neighborhoods on race day.

The Wet Dog Triathlon was started by the Decatur Jaycees as a fundraiser for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Morgan County program, now operating as Mosaic Mentoring of North Alabama.

The first event attracted 87 athletes, and at its peak, brought in more than 600 competitors. Entries for this year’s competition are from Alabama, Tennessee, North Dakota, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, California, Kentucky, and Virginia.

The entry fee is $75 per person. Registration is available online, or call the Mosaic office at 256-353-0157 to register over the phone.

All proceeds go to Mosaic Mentoring of North Alabama. Because this is a fundraiser for a nonprofit agency, refunds on registrations are not available and race registrations are non-transferable.

For more information, contact Leah Brown, Mosaic Mentoring CEO and Wet Dog Triathlon race director, at 256-353-0157 or visit https://www.mosaicnorthal.org/wet-dog-triathlon.html.