REGINA, Saskatchewan — The triathlon sport has grown a lot since it was introduced in the ’90s. These races are an opportunity for race organization, group training and socialization.

One of the sanctioned clubs in Saskatchewan, Canada, is the Regina Multisport Club, formed alongside the Saskatoon Triathlon Club in the 1990’s.

Training in each of the events covers beginner to advanced levels so that everyone can fit in and compete. The Club trains athletes from beginner level until they become half and full finishers. Club members participate in events like the Echo Lake Multisport Festival and the Great White North Triathlon, which they have won several times. Some Club representatives at major events include Lyle LM Stecyk, Jackie Hatherly, Kyle Moore, and Chris Gdanski.

The amateur sports team allows athletes to wear whatever they are comfortable with to triathlon competitions. First-timers, however, are encouraged to invest in a pair of triathlon shorts for easy cycling. These shorts are often used as bicycle shorts and are not too padded. Meanwhile, regular athletes can wear bathing suits or triathlon suits for easy transitions between events.

For the swimming events, wetsuits are needed but not compulsory–especially in cases where the lake water is quite cold. However, there are always alternatives for athletes without wetsuits. Flip turns, however, are not allowed in most of their pool swimming events.

Bikers do not need to use triathlon-specific bicycles as cruiser bikes, and other bikes are welcome as long as they work excellently. But the more competitive athletes always go for faster bikes to win the event.

The Regina Multisport Club runs many training programs and activities to boost morale and keep old members fit and attract new members. Furthermore, the Club also has different fun groups for each multisport activity.

The adult swim lessons, for example, will cover Performance Swim90, Improvement Swim45, Triathlon Intro Swim30, and Performance Swim60, all coached by Jason Cawkwell. Also available is the Run Crew that engages in outdoor races, usually around the Wascana Lake area.

Outdoor cycling for race training, getting fit, or just recreational purposes is usually done in a safe, supportive environment under the watchful eyes of experienced leaders. 

Even in the triathlon off-season, Club members will continue training to increase their strength, power and resilience through a strength training program called Tri-lift. The program will run both in-person and online sessions and train endurance athletes in different workout routines throughout the fall and winter seasons for optimal swimming, bike riding and running performance when the triathlon season resumes in the spring and summer.

Interestingly, the Club runs a program for youngsters aged 7 to 13 years, called the RMC Youth FUNdamentals Program. The multisport activity program, which head coach Sean Hooper coordinates, is open to youths who want to learn to swim, ride a bike and run appropriately while keeping fit and having fun at the same time. In addition, novice participants and the more experienced are welcome to the built-in cross-training, balance, variety and overall fitness that the FUNdamentals program offers through their multiple sports activities. The RMC Youth FUNdamentals Program will also help boost youths’ confidence in participating in other local multisport events.

Head coach Sean Hooper is a trained Triathlon Canada Youth Community Coach who became a triathlete in 2007 and has coached triathlon since 2012. He was also the Regina Dolphins’ swim coach in 2011 and was an Alpine Canada Entry Level Coach in 2010. Sean is also a sports instructor at the University of Regina Summer Sports School. He describes himself as “An athletic individual who loves competition…I also like downhill skiing, scuba diving, and triathlon.”

Regina-born Sean Hooper received the 2017 Saskatchewan Triathlon Coach of the Year Award in recognition of his efforts towards empowering kids through the Fundamentals Program. One of the beneficiaries from his program describes him as “A great coach. He makes our training fun by adding games and challenging us to go faster. He keeps us focused.”

This fall, the RMC Fall 2021 Strength Training will commence with classes aimed at helping participants improve their strength and mobility for maximum success in endurance sports. The training program, which requires more than eight participants before commencing, will run from Oct. 5 to Dec. 23. As a result, participants are assured of becoming all-around better athletes with better form, improved performance and reduced risk of overuse injury.

In addition to swimming, running and biking, the Regina Multisport Club also offers athletes the opportunity to participate in other fun activities like snow-shoeing and trail running. The Club stands out as a fun multisport club for all and has become an integral part of the Regina community.

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