183 participate in the 2012 Nor'easter Reverse Sprint Triathlon

The 2012 Nor'easter Reverse Sprint Triathlon hosted by the University of New England Department of Health and Wellness Education on April 15th attracted 183 registered athletes and four relay teams in just its second year. 

The 2012 winners were Rob Ricard from Berwick and Stephanie Meisner from Hollis.

OMM

In addition, 21 UNE students and more than a dozen faculty, staff and alumni participated in the triathlon.  

Event organizers Amy Quinn, Scott Marchildon and race director Charles Melton noted that more than three dozen UNE student volunteers helped ensure a smooth-running race, including first- and second-year students from the College of Osteopathic Medicine, who used their osteopathic manipulation techniques to treat the racers.  They were precepted by Jane Carreiro, D.O., chair and associate professor of OMM, and Daniel Gibbons, D.O. Stacey Pierce-Talsma, D.O., M.S., assistant professor of OMM, also provided onsite mentorship for the OMT students.

Green Race

This year's event organizers aimed to host a "green race" by utilizing creative and waste-reducing ideas, such as:  promoting the race electronically; using online registration and allowing paper registration only on race day; providing a forum on Facebook to encourage ride sharing to event; providing recycling bins at the event to recycle cardboard, paper and plastics (all signage will  be reused again next year);  using reusable shopping bags as goody bags; and composting all food.  In addition, no single-use disposable water bottles were used at the event.  The escort vehicle for the lead bike was a hybrid car, and for the lead runner was a bicycle.

The 2012 Nor'easter Reverse Sprint Triathlon drew athletes from all over the region, and the organizers expect another successful event in 2013.