Highland Lake Relay returns this Saturday

WINSTED — Athletes have been asked to register early for the third annual Highland Lake Relay on Sept. 12 but there will still be spots open for those who want to compete in the event, which begins at 8:30 a.m. at Holland Beach.

The race will happen rain or shine and will feature four separate timed sporting events.

The quadrathlon will include running, canoeing/kayaking, bicycling and swimming components.

The four legs of the Highland Lake Relay start at Holland Beach with a run of a half-mile or 2.1 miles, depending on your division, beginning and ending at the beach. That is followed by kayaking or canoeing from Holland Beach to Resha Beach and back. Participants will then ride bicycles one-and-three-quarter times around the lake, starting at Holland Beach and ending at Resha Beach. The final leg is a 50-meter swim, which begins and ends at Resha Beach.

Alec Smith was the winner of the first Highland Lake Relay at the age of 13 in 2006. The relay took a year off before resuming last year. In 2006 and 2007, competitors were met with cloudy skies.

The relay has become a popular event both for athletes and spectators.

“It really is exciting,� said Lisa Smith, an organizer and former Recreation Board member who is also the mother of Alec Smith. “It’s fun to watch and every year more and more people have gotten into it. It’s all about fun. That’s the theme of the race. It’s not one of your really competitive events. We just want to encourage people to come out from our community and participate.�

Lake enthusiasts can also expect to see a range of competitors and spectators from other areas.

Highland Lake Relay competitors can register as solo “iron man� athletes or put together teams of two, four or six people. The registration fee is $15 per person and participants are asked to register in advance at the Winsted Recreation Department at Town Hall.

For more information, call the Winsted Recreation Department at 860-379-8670.

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