Teenagers taking part in a triathlon have been congratulated by Morecambe's Paralympic gold medal-winning hero after finishing a gruelling stage of the event.
Young people from Lancaster and Morecambe were delighted to be met by Stuart Robinson MBE, wheelchair rugby Paralympian (pictured below), as they finished the 70-mile cycle ride stage of the Morecambe Bay Youth Triathlon on the Promenade.
Thirty teenagers aged 13-17 are taking on the gruelling swimming, cycling and walking challenge during July and August.
The triathlon kicked off with a 70-mile cycle challenge over two very hot days from Walney Island to Witherslack in Cumbria, finishing on Morecambe Promenade.
There they were met by Stuart, who won the Paralympic gold medal as a member of Team GB in Tokyo last year.
Then the young people dived into the second part of the triathlon, a virtual swim of Morecambe Bay which involved swimming 520 lengths (eight miles) in relay of the pool at Salt Ayre Leisure Centre.
The triathlon concludes on August 6 with a walk across Morecambe Bay to raise money for CancerCare.
Some of the teenagers are participating in the entire triathlon while others are taking part in one element of the challenge.
They have been training since April, supported by instructors from BayFit Performance PT in Lancaster.
Lancashire-based Go Velo prepared the teenagers for the cycle ride with bikeability training, cycle maintainance and road safety advice.
The teenagers also received water safety training and swimming lessons in preparation for the swimming stage of the event.
Devised by Lancaster & Morecambe Youth Partnership, the triathlon is being managed by Lancashire Youth Challenge (LYC), Morecambe’s Bay Leadership Academy School, and Stanleys Community Centre in Morecambe.
Guy Christiansen, Lancashire Youth Challenge chief executive, said: “I wanted LYC to organise a triathlon before the pandemic so it’s great that we now have a chance to bring young people from across the district together, get them out and about, and give them the opportunity to take part in a fantastic challenge.“
The triathlon has been made possible with funding from the Westminster Foundation via Lancaster District CVS, Sport England (Queen's Platinum Jubilee Activity Fund); Children In Need (DCMS Youth Investment Fund; and Lancaster City Council.
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