By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The 2021 Ironman 70.3 Oregon triathlon was held in Salem on Sunday, July 25. About 3,500 competitors registered for the event. The successful triathlon wouldn't have been possible without many volunteers who prepared for the event, helped during the competition, and were involved with post-event clean-up. A group of volunteers from Willamette University made a significant difference. Willamette also provided a key staging area for pre-event work in the Sparks Center parking lot.
A total of 25 volunteers from Willamette worked at various times over four days from preparations on July 22 through the end of the event on July 25. Willamette's volunteers included current staff, former staff, students, and alumni. The 70.3 Ironman Oregon featured a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run. Help was needed throughout the areas used for all three parts of the competition.
"Volunteers from across campus helped to stuff athlete packets, staffed packet pick-up, staffed the Bike Check-In, and ran Bike Aid Station #1," Willamette Associate AD/Senior Woman Administrator Leslie Shevlin said.
Shevlin oversaw the efforts at Bike Aid Station #1. Fourteen volunteers from Willamette worked with six community members to maintain Bike Aid Station #1 throughout the cycling portion of the triathlon.
"The station was staffed from 5:30 a.m. through 10:30 a.m.," Shevlin noted. "Volunteers set up the Gatorade, water, and food aid tables, set up bike racks, and made sure all tables were stocked for the athletes. Our volunteers had to get good at balancing a Gatorade or water bottle on their hand to be grabbed by a cyclist coming by at up to 18-miles per hour. It was definitely a splash zone. Volunteers had to go so far as to peel the safety seal off of all Gatorade bottles, put the caps back on and make sure the caps were open for easy access by the athletes. It was four days spent supporting the Ironman athletes and collaborating with the Salem community and the Willamette community."
Similar efforts were underway at other Bike Aid Stations. Volunteers also staffed Running Aid Stations and helped with the swimming-to-biking transfer area. In addition, Head Coach Brett Franz of the Willamette women's triathlon team set up a display table during the Ironman Expo on Friday and Saturday. During the Ironman Expo, Franz promoted Willamette and shared information about the women's triathlon team, which will begin competing this fall.
"I was fortunate to get on some early calls with the Ironman coming to Salem," Franz said. "It was really fun to see the event go from brainstorming to the actual event. It was really great to see Willamette and the Salem community support the event."
Eventually, all of the planning was completed and the Ironman was about to begin.
"On the first day, I was able to work with others in the Department of Athletics and the Admissions Office, volunteering to put together race packets," Franz commented. "The next few days, I was fortunate to be able to hang out in the Ironman village and talk to visitors about Willamette and the triathlon program. On race day, I volunteered with others from Athletics and all across campus to keep Bike Aid Station #1 fully stocked and to help the participants if they needed fluids, food, or mechanical help. I'm excited for the event to be back next summer!"
Shevlin, who has competed in triathlons, was glad she was able to be involved with this year's event. She helped put together Willamette's group of volunteers and coordinated their efforts.
"As an Ironman finisher, I really wanted to get involved in this inaugural year for the Ironman Oregon 70.3 as a volunteer," Shevlin said. "I also thought it would be a great opportunity for our staff across the University to get involved in community service."
"We had such a good time on Sunday working Bike Aid Station #1," Shevlin continued. "As it turned out, we have quite a few Willamette staff members who are now very good at handing out water to someone riding past them! We also supported a few mechanical and medical needs as well. It was a great experience, made even better because we got to spend some time volunteering with folks from across campus who we haven't seen in a while. We look forward to getting some relay teams entered and captaining a station again next year."
Willamette Head Swimming Coach Brent Summers also had positive memories about his efforts as a volunteer during the triathlon.
"I really enjoyed volunteering for the Oregon 70.3," Summers commented. "I thought it was a really awesome experience and event to bring to Salem, and I'm looking forward to having it here for at least another two years. On Saturday, I worked for a couple of hours at the Athletics booth that was located in the village in Riverfront Park. We were located near the athlete check-in so we were in a good area to get the Willamette name out there and be seen by everyone who was in town for the event. On the 25th I was part of the Willamette group at Bike Aid Station #1, handing out Gatorade and water bottles to participants as they rode by on their bikes."
For Summers, who is used to coaching at swim meets or watching events in the stands, the chance to volunteer at a triathlon was special. It provided him with a new perspective on athletic competition.
"It was a different experience being on the volunteer side of things instead of being a spectator/supporter," Summers recalled. "It was great to see all the athletes go by and cheer them on in what was probably a long day for them. Many of them said thank you to us for volunteering, which I appreciated. Overall, it felt like the event was run really well, and I'm looking forward to volunteering again next year."
The 2022 Ironman 70.3 Oregon is set for July 10 in Salem.
Willamette Volunteers at the 2021 Ironman 70.3 Oregon:
Athletics: Leslie Shevlin, Rob Passage, Brett Franz, Brent Summers, Paige Hall
Admissions: Justin Strohmeyer, Angie Hamilton, Karla Gutierrez-Hernandez, Kayleen Eng, Kylie Kistner, Heather Fredrick, Kaelyn Kappes
Housing and Residence Life: Scott Etherton, Patty Schomaker
Multicultural Affairs: Gordy Toyama
University Relations: Karen Delsman, Eric Lassahn
Former TIUA staff: Naomi Collette
Current Students: Molly Murphy-Brown, Melissa Duncan, Sarah Henry
Alumni: Sarah Dean, Sophie Goodwin-Rice
