Kimberley’s James Green recently competed at the 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Championships as a member of Canada’s Age Group Team, placing 44th out of 101 competitors from around the world in his age group at the October 19 race in Torremolinos-Andalucia, Spain.

Competing at the championships was an exciting experience and the competition fierce, said Green.

“I hit all my fastest times in a race and still only placed 44th. It was a real eye opener to see the caliber of athletes at an event like this.”

Green raced the standard distance triathlon, which is a 1,500-metre swim, 40-kilometre bike and a 10-kilometre run. This is considered a mid-distance triathlon, longer than the beginner friendly sprint triathlon, which is half the distance, and shorter than the famous Ironman distance (3.9km swim, 180.2km bike and 42.2km run).

Friend Chris Shepherd noted, “This is a big deal for a non-pro athlete. It’s pretty much the highest level of competition one can do in the standard distance triathlon and not be a professional. He had to qualify for the team and represented Canada. What’s also impressive is James is new to the sport and already accomplishing so much.”

Green is a newcomer to the sport, having completed his first triathlon at the Wasa Lake Triathlon in 2023, which is also where he qualified for the world championships.

He’s coached by another Kimberley resident, Holger Bohm, a triathlete himself who’s been racing since the mid-1990s.

“There’s some natural talent,” Bohm said of Green, “but it’s his commitment to his training and his passion for triathlon that got him to where he is that fast.”

Before triathlon, Green was a runner, but he was getting bored of just running and thought triathlon could be a good alternative. Having different sports to train provides variety and makes it a little easier on the body, he said. “Each discipline is recovery for the other ones.”

Both Green and Bohm hope to grow triathlon’s presence in the East Kootenay as well as build the community.

With the Wasa Lake Triathlon in the region it’s easy to try the sport. Wasa offers four distances for all levels of athlete; the super sprint (300 metre swim, seven kilometre bike and three kilometre run), sprint (750 metre swim, 20 kilometre bike, five kilometre run) and standard distance.

All a person needs is a wetsuit, bike (any bike will do for a person’s first), and running shoes. The wetsuit is a likely necessity given the water temperature of Wasa Lake in June.

While the two have a formal coaching arrangement through Kootenay Academy of Triathlon, there’s also an open triathlon group that trains together year-round that anyone can join.

The group meets at the Cranbrook Aquatic Centre on Wednesday and Friday mornings (6:30 to 7:45 a.m.) and at the track at the College of the Rockies Cranbrook campus during the spring, summer and fall.

Those workouts are open to anyone, and people are welcome to join for as much or as little of the workout as they would like. The group has a range of skills and strengths, from beginners to experienced triathletes.

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