Thin Air Triathlon held in Evanston

Bradie Jill Jones, Herald Reporter
Posted 7/7/17

Evanston hosts triathlon

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Thin Air Triathlon held in Evanston

Posted

EVANSTON — Early on the morning of Saturday, July 1, a handful of athletes gathered at Sulfur Creek Reservoir to compete in the Thin Air Triathlon.

What started out as a Fourth of July family reunion tradition has developed over the years into a community event. The Proffit family of the Diamond X Ranch just south of Evanston has been facilitating the race for eight years now.

“I love triathlons. I caught the bug when I did my first one back in 2005,” Josh Proffit, who organizes the event each year, said.

Many of the participants are local to the Uinta County area. At just 17 years old, Aedin Banry competed in the Thin Air Triathlon.

Her mother, Laura Cook said, “I’m proud of her. She’s on the swim team so we thought it would be good training for her.”

Another local, Sam Symes, ran the race in honor of his beloved swim coach, the late Jason Crompton. “Jason’s one of those guys who, for a young man in high school, was a great mentor,” Symes’ father, Scott Symes, emotionally expressed.

Crompton, who took 1st several years ago in the Thin Air Triathlon, was well known in the triathlon circuit.

Set in the foothills of the Uinta Mountains, this triathlon, at an elevation of 7200 feet, ranks among the highest in the country.

“This is actually one of the highest elevation triathlons in the country. People think this is just for fun, but it is not an easy triathlon,” Proffit said of the unique physical challenge triathletes face.

The breathtaking mountain views and high altitude challenge provided by this race keeps athletes coming back year after year. For more information on next year’s race, visit thinairtriathlon.com.