Hemet to host holiday triathlon

Amateur and seasoned athletes will sweat it out in Hemet Sunday for the 36th “Tinsel Triathlon,” replete with running, biking and swimming just north of Diamond Valley Lake.

The morning-long event is set to start at 9 a.m. Sunday, beginning and ending at West Valley High School on Mustang Way. It’s expected to draw several thousand competitors, though some are only likely to participate in one or two segments of the course.

Contestants will be challenged to power through a 19-kilometer cycling race along Domenigoni Parkway, run a 5K course around the high school and swim 150 meters in the school pool to reach the finish line, according to organizers.

In some cases, teams will be engaging in a relay-style exercise, using different people for individual segments.

“This is the perfect venue for anyone who has always wanted to be a triathlete,” according to the event website, www.tinseltriathlon.com. “We are also an awesome setting for the seasoned triathlete. What better way to get your game on?”

People of all ages can compete, though the minimum age is 5, and athletes must sign waivers ahead of time. Physically disabled participants are permitted to use hand cycles in the triathlon. Entrance fees are $100 per person and $150 per team. Those in the “Challenged Athlete Division,” including wheelchair-dependent competitors, are offered discounts.

The Hemet Police Department will shut down Domenigoni Parkway to westbound traffic between Searl Parkway and Winchester Road for the event. Sanderson Avenue will also be closed from Domenigoni to Thornton Avenue, with additional closures on portions of Cawston Avenue and Mustang Way.

Detours will be in effect, and all closures will be lifted by 11 p.m., according to police.

The triathlon was held last year but was canceled in December 2020 due to the coronavirus public health lockdowns.