BETHEL — The 24th annual Maine State Triathlon will kick off at 8 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at the Bethel Inn Resort’s Lakehouse on Songo Pond in Albany Township.  

More than 150 people have registered, race director Julia Reuter said Friday.

“People can register for the race up until 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, and we typically get a lot of people trickling in as the race gets closer,” Reuter said.

The race will begin with a 750-meter swim in Songo Pond at the Bethel Inn Lakehouse, followed by a 14.9-mile cycling trek and a 3.6-mile run around Songo Pond.

Reuter said the race has gained a “faithful following” because of its status as a sprint triathlon.

“This is a wonderful event for people thinking of doing a triathlon for the first time,” she said. “For a triathlon, the distances are not that daunting. The 750-meter swim is in the benign, warm Songo Pond instead of the ocean, and the 14.9-mile cycle is relatively flat, considering that they take you through the Western Maine mountains.”

Children ages 8 to 14 can participate in the seventh annual Maine State Kids’ Triathlon at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at Angevine Park. The events are a 100-yard swim, a 3-mile bike ride and a 1-mile run.

The Kids’ Triathlon will be untimed, Reuter said, with all participating children receiving a T-shirt and a medal of participation.

“A lot of the families who participate in these triathlons have children, and we figured this is a good way to keep the entire family involved,” Reuter said. “If people want to time how long it takes for their kid to finish their race, they’ll have to use their own watch, since it’s an untimed race.”

Reuter added that all adult racers will receive a Maine State Triathlon T-shirt for participating.

All proceeds raised from the triathlon will benefit Bethel’s community and businesses, Reuter said.

The Maine State Triathlon is organized by the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce.

For more information or to volunteer for the event, call 824-2282 or emailinfo@bethelmaine.com.

mdaigle@sunmediagroup.net