By Wausau Pilot and Review Staff
Freshly groomed trails at Nine Mile County Forest in Rib Mountain welcomed athletes and spectators from around the Midwest to the Wausau region’s first Winter Triathlon, drawing competitors from five states.
The race, which is part of the IRONBULL series and Badger State Winter Games, began with a mass ski start of 30 solo entries and 8 relay teams, one of which included Gary Zimbric, the President of the Wausau Nordic Ski Club.
All photos from the Jan. 25, 2020 event below courtesy of David Stenklyft for Wausau Pilot and Review.
“(The Triathlon) was a great event with a fantastic atmosphere.” Zimbric said. “(It was) fun to see skiers, bikers and snowshoers joined together for a fun event. I hope the event and relationships grow. And Nine Mile is an amazing facility for events like this.”
This event was notable in that it marked the first time winter fat tire biking was allowed at Nine Mile County Forest thanks to an exception granted by the Marathon County Forestry and Recreation Committee and the support of the Wausau/Marathon County Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department.
Race Director and member of the Central Wisconsin Offroad Cycling Coalition (CWOCC) board of directors, Rebecca Tuley, was supported by IRONBULL executive director, Andrea Larson, numerous volunteers and business donors to execute a great winter race that was geared for athletes at levels from beginner to elite.
“The race went off even better than I had expected,” Tuley said. “I’m already looking towards next year by creating different courses, one for those who want to try something new and another which steps up the challenge.”
Results and additional pictures are available at:
https://www.ironbull.org/
