The Jordanelle Triathlon will return to the Wasatch Back on Saturday.
With registration having closed, 700 triathletes will swim in the Jordanelle Reservoir, bike alongside the Provo River and run next to the reservoir and river.
The triathlon has two categories: sprint and Olympic, which is the more difficult of the two. There are 16 race divisions based on ages and weights.
The Jordanelle Triathlon has been held since 1998 and originally featured mountain biking. According to organizers TriUtah, it was voted one of Triathlete magazine’s favorite triathlons in the United States.
“I think the scenery is one of the things that keeps it going every year,” said TriUtah owner and Race Director Aamodt of Farmington. “And the active lifestyle that we have up in Park City and in Utah.”
Aamodt bought TriUtah in 2012. He said the Jordanelle Triathlon has grown from about 100-200 participants then to 700 now. Including Saturday’s race, TriUtah is hosting five races this season.
“This is our biggest year yet,” Aamodt said about the Jordanelle Triathlon. “It’s a great vibe out there. … Now that Rock Cliff Campground is fully developed by the state park, they run on the Jordanelle property the whole time.”
In addition to the Wasatch Back scenery, Aamodt believes the camaraderie between triathletes keeps them coming back. Despite everyone wanting to find success in TriUtah’s first triathlon of the season, they’re all cheering for each other.
“The triathlon community is unique,” said Aamodt, a triathlete since 1989. “Everybody is helping each other. There aren’t a lot of egos in the sport, at least in the amateur side, and so everyone feels welcome.”
Aamodt is expecting another 100 or so people out to the state park Saturday to support the triathletes.
The triathlon will also serve as a fundraiser for the West Field High School cross country team in Taylor and the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which supports athletes with disabilities, despite TriUtah being a for-profit organization.
“It’s a competitive race,” Aamodt said. “But most folks are in it just to improve themselves versus some recognition of sort.”