Posted: October 27, 2004

Triathlon: Star-Studded Field Lines Up For 2004 San Diego Triathlon Challenge

Robin Williams, Olympic and Ironman Athletes and Military Heroes To Compete in Grueling Half-Ironman Fund-Raiser

SAN DIEGO, CA – On October 31, 2004 the La Jolla Cove will once again be taken over by an athletic event with humble origins that has grown to international prominence.

The 11th Annual San Diego Triathlon Challenge (SDTC), will host some of the world’s top challenged athletes, celebrities and professional athletes who will participate in this grueling half-Ironman. They will join more than 500 athletes from across the country in this non-competitive event that aims to raise $1 million for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. All proceeds help give people with disabilities the chance of pursuing a life full of physical activity and sports.

A Hero and Star-Studded Field
Scheduled to compete in this triathlon – a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run, all in succession – are Ironman champions Wendy Ingraham, Peter Reid, Scott Tinley and actor Robin Williams who has raced the SDTC for the last six years. In addition, Olympic and Paralympic medallists from Athens and other surprise celebrities. Past celebrity guests have included Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell.

Other special guests will include over a dozen American soldiers who incurred permanent physical injuries as a result of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Included in this group is Mike McNaughton who lost a leg in a land mine explosion and who earlier this year made headlines when he jogged around the South Lawn of the White House with President George Bush.

This grueling event takes place along the rolling hills of North County in San Diego and is unforgiving for the able-bodied, let alone amputees or others with severe disabilities.

“I’m always just hanging out with my buddies and working real hard when a guy on a handcycle comes cruising by me like it’s no big deal,” said movie actor, Robin Williams. “You meet all these great people with physical disabilities and then they rip past you on the course. It’s just great!”

Humble Beginnings
It was 11 years ago that Jim MacLaren was at the top of his game. As a below-knee amputee he was an endurance athlete who consistently placed within the top 20 percent of any marathon or Ironman in which he competed – an amazing feat even for someone that’s able-bodied, which inspired other amputees around the world. But in 1993 on a closed course triathlon, tragedy struck Jim for the second time when he was hit by a van and left him a quadriplegic. This spurred his friends to rally together to raise funds to help him and led to the first ever San Diego Triathlon Challenge. With 42 people descending on the Southern California coastline, they raised $48,000 to help Jim. Now, eleven years later, this event has led to the creation of the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which has raised almost $5 million that has been distributed to more than 1,300 challenged athletes from around the world.

About the Event
While the 600 participants are pushing themselves through the 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run, spectators will be treated to the Wawanesa Halloween Family Fun Zone that will include carnival games, a surf simulator, jump tent, games and crafts.
Additionally, in the center of the CAF Village will be the Tour De Cove, a one hundred stationary bike extravaganza that will be the center of energy while the participants of the triathlon are out on the course. Many of the American soldiers will be participating in this event.

For more information on the Challenged Athletes Foundations please contact the CAF office at 858-793-9293 or visit their Web site at www.challengedathletes.org.