By Justin Ritter
Students with a passion for running and swimming will have a chance to test their skills in the annual Splash and Dash biathlon Saturday, hosted by the Campus Life Events Management Team.
Ron Jones, a campus involvement coordinator with Campus Life, said the biathlon is easy enough even beginners can participate.
?We try to make it fun for students,? he said. More experienced athletes also participate in the biathlon, using it to train for other races, Jones said.
Brian Casaday, a first-year masters student from Sandy, studying mechanical engineering, ran in the team race last year and plans on participating again this year.
?It was fun,? he said. ?It?s a way to keep me training for something. It?s something I like to do.?
The beginner course has a quarter-mile swim and a 3K race, while the standard course consists of a half-mile swim and a 5K race. The elite division swims one mile and runs 10K. The team race consists of a one-mile swim and a 10K race and is limited to two athletes per team.
The beginner race is $10, and the standard race is $12. The elite race is $15 and the team race is $20. Registration and payment can be done at the Splash and Dash information desk in the Wilkinson Student Center by Friday at 5 p.m.
Athletes must be 12 or older. All participants will receive a t-shirt. Winners will receive gift certificates to Sports Authority.
The event will begin in the Richards Building swimming pool, with check-ins starting at 8:30 a.m. and heats beginning at 9:30 a.m. Athletes choose their heats during registration.