There’s nothing like running, biking and swimming in your backyard for charity, particularly when you have a habit of crossing the finish line first. Okotokian Heidi Frehlich cruised to her second straight top female finish at the Natural High Charity Triathlon on Saturday. “It’s always a really fun course and the community is really good about making sure it’s safe everywhere you go,” said Frehlich, who is a member of the University of Toronto triathlon team. “They always have it really clean, everyone is so enthusiastic and it’s just a really fun race to do. “I always love doing the Natural High Charity Triathlon it supports such a good cause with KidSport. Being right in town and seeing so many familiar faces, it’s more of a fun one, a community building one.” The annual triathlon took 49 athletes through the sprint distance featuring the 500m open-water swim on Crystal Shores Lake, followed by a 20km bike ride through northeast Okotoks and capped off by a 5km run. “It was definitely one of the windier days I’ve raced so that sure made the bike course interesting,” she said. “But it definitely helped cool down the run.” Frehlich brings a strong background to the three disciplines. She grew up racing with the Okotoks Stingrays Summer Swim Club and as an avid distance runner is coming off her first trip through the Boston Marathon in the spring. “That’s probably the most confident I’ve been in an open-water swimming,” Frehlich said. “Growing up with a swimming background we did only pool swimming. Over the past few years I’ve been becoming more and more comfortable swimming in open water. “It’s just personally realizing that I don’t have much to fear in the water, I’m safe there and can just appreciate how clean the water is Canada and how fresh it is.” Fellow Okotokian Emilia Hesterman, a Foothills Stingrays Swim Club veteran, showcased her swimming skills on Crystal Shores Lake as the first out of the water in a time of 7:32. The 19-year-old finished second among women in the triathlon. Joel Wilkinson was first to the finish line, two minutes ahead of Okotokians’ Charl Voolsteedt and Alec Gill, the second and third place finishers, respectively. Twenty-eight brave souls took on the Tri-A-Tri distance – 250m swim, 13.1 km bike and 2.5 km run. The duo of Joshua and Jacob Heuver finished one-two. The relay races saw Team Strilness in top spot and Hush Silver Bullets in second. Fifty-six youngsters competed in the kids races. The Natural High Charity Triathlon is a fundraiser for KidSport Okotoks. For more information on the event go to naturalhigh.ca
