Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon set for Sept. 13

Ava Cannon founded the Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon in 1996 and has been directing the race ever since. The event benefits the Sussex Family YMCA, and this year it will attract nearly 800 participants, who will take part in a half-mile ocean swim, 15-mile bike, and 3.5-mile run individually or as members of a two- or three-person team.

New in 2014 is the aqua bike category, in which a single athlete completes only the swim and bike legs. The event will be held Saturday, Sept. 13. In her day job, Ava works in the residential division at Jack Lingo Realtor.

Cape Gazette: How did you become a triathlon race director?

Ava Cannon: Many years ago when I was living in northern Virginia, a dear friend, Jeanette Semon Green, became paralyzed in an accident. The family had some mounting medical costs, and a group of us wanted to help her. Jeanette and I had been training for a biathlon, so the group decided to organize a run-bike-run event for her. I was named the race director because I had so many opinions on how it should be managed. For seven years I organized what was called the President’s Biathlon.

CG: How did the Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon come about?

AC: When I moved from Virginia to Rehoboth Beach in the 1990s, it felt only natural to run a similar event since no other biathlons or triathlons were being held there or in Dewey.

CG: How did the Sussex Family YMCA become the charity for the event?

AC: Because my biathlon had always benefited someone, I wanted to do the same. The Sussex YMCA seemed to encompass everything a community meant and needed. It is the beneficiary of one of the longest running-triathlons on the East Coast.

CG: How has the Sussex Family YMCA benefited from the triathlon?

AC: We’ve raised over $250,000 for the Y, and in 2013 we donated $18,168, after expenses. The funds support the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign, which provides scholarships for less fortunate children to participate in YMCA programs. These activities include summer camp, swim lessons, preschool, after-school care, youth sports, and Youth in Government. During the Y’s Water Safety Week, for example, over 400 kids received swim lessons and [learned] aquatic life-saving skills.

CG: What are your major responsibilities as race director?

AC: I organize logistics and all safety personnel, including state troopers and Dewey police, DelDOT, EMTs, and Delaware Seashore State Park staff and lifeguards. Other than that, it is like having a wedding every year with a DJ, tent, tables, chairs, food, and lots of people who want to have a good time.

CG: What is your main concern on race day?

AC: The weather, especially ocean conditions.

CG: How many people organize and manage the race?

AC: Four of us work throughout the year planning the triathlon, and on race day our corps of volunteers helps in many ways, such as marking race numbers on triathletes’ arms, working the water stops, and directing triathletes on the course.

CG: What are some characteristics of the triathlete who shows up for the race?

AC: It varies. We have triathletes who have done the race for years and now have children doing it. We also have first-timers who make it a family event and spend the weekend at the beach.

CG: Who consumes more beer, runners or triathletes?

AC: LOL. I think they consume the same amount. It all depends on the weather after the event and how long they stick around.