Teen athletes team up to tackle 'fun, inclusive' holiday tri event

Siblings Theo, Macey and Zeta Kane, along with Bethany Ferguson, Nellie Boyle and Pipa Main are among the next generation involved in Warrnambool Tri Club, with all six ready to contest its aquathon criterion on Wednesday, December 27.

The event sees participants run one kilometre and swim 150 metres before repeating the circuit as many times as possible over one hour, with some choosing to conquer it individually while others split the two legs up in teams of two.

Bethany, who has contested the annual criterion several times, said she enjoyed partnering up with someone, with the 17-year-old linking up with Danielle Kane, Theo, Macey and Zeta's mother, next week.

"I've always done the swim," she said.

"I've always had a different partner doing the run, just whoever wants to run.

"And usually when I'm swimming, someone, like Macey is swimming and I get to swim with them and it's really fun."

Macey, another regular at the criterion, will partner with her dad Leigh, who will take on the run leg.

The 16-year-old said she enjoyed the triathlon club's inclusive environment, which offers people off all ages the chance to try different events over the summer.

"It's good to have people your age (compete) so you can have fun," she said.

Friends first got Bethany involved in the club, with her parents supportive of her sporting pursuits.

"A lot of people are involved in the tri club, they just do things here and there and slowly you start doing more and more," she said.

"I'm an only child, so my parents come and watch - dad might do it but we'll see. They come to everything, they drive me."

The two teenagers' sporting commitments also include the Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club, with Macey also training with Warrnambool Swimming Club while Bethany has a penchant for ocean swimming.

"I like ocean swimming, so I mostly swim whenever I can with the ocean swimming group (in Warrnambool)," she said.

"We do the (Shipwreck Coast) swim series and Pier to Pub."

Bethany believed ocean swimming offered something different.

"I find pool swimming boring, you're just starting at a black line - at least if you're in the ocean, there is adrenaline because sharks...," she said with a laugh.

Both Bethany and Macey encouraged locals and holiday-makers to give the event a go, adding "you don't need to be fast" to take up the challenge.

"It's fun, everyone should come and sign up," Bethany said.

The aquathon criterion will run from 5-6pm on Wednesday, December 27 at Warrnambool's Lady Bay.