Spuddy Recovery Tri is Saturday
FORT FAIRFIELD — The Spuddy Recovery ‘Triathlon,’ which proved to be a hit with spectators when it kicked off the Maine Potato Blossom Festival parade last year, is on the road this summer and making its return to the County’s premier summer event.
The TAMC-organized activity is being taken up a notch with local businesses engaging in the amusing display of community collaboration and friendly competition at this year’s Potato Blossom Festival. The lampoon-style triathlon has already served as the precursor for the Limestone Fourth of July and Ashland Summerfest parades, and is gearing up for its championship return in Fort Fairfield on Saturday, July 20.
Activity will take place at 12:45 p.m., just prior to the arrival of the first entries of the parade on Main Street, in the area between Acadia Medical Supply (the start/finish line) and the parade reviewing stand in front of the Veteran’s monument.
Participants navigate the first leg of the race through a light obstacle course comprised of hay bales, pushing a wheelchair loaded with a 50 lb. bag of potatoes. They then transition to pushing a medical rolling walker with a vase full of potato blossoms through another series of hay bales, before finally using a crutch as a golf putter to get a potato into a barrel. Participants then reverse course and take the walker and wheelchair respectively back through the obstacle course to finish where they started. The greatest challenge to competitors will likely be keeping the flower vases upright, followed by not dropping the bag of potatoes. Both items are required to be on board their respective crafts at the end of each leg.
“We are thrilled to bring Spuddy Recovery back to the Potato Blossom Festival this year, and we are just as excited that other County communities have decided to host it as well,” said Jason Parent, TAMC director of advancement. “This event puts a fun and unique spin on both the significance of the potato industry and healthcare in The County. And it does so in a fun way during one of the region’s premier summer events.”
Parent will be joined by Shawn Murchison and Jane Towle in calling the play-by-play at the event. Murchison will be stationed at the start/finish line, Towle in the middle of the course in the transition area from wheelchair to walker, and Parent by the barrels where participants have to land their potatoes. Parent and Towle will also serve as announcers for the parade immediately following the Spuddy Recovery Triathlon.
“Last year was a great success, and we are glad to be bringing the fun back this summer. We received a lot of great feedback, and everyone is looking forward to cheering on their local businesses while they await the parade,” said Murchison.
The field is limited to only 16 participants. Four competitors from each participating business or organization will take part in the obstacle course at a time. The winner of each of the four rounds will compete in a championship round at the end. In addition to the individual being crowned 2013 Spuddy Recovery Triathlon Champion, the business or organization they represent will also share the honor.
All participants will receive prizes for participation. Anyone interested in getting more information on this event is encouraged to go to potatoblossom.org or the TAMC Facebook page.
