MATTAPOISETT — From the shores of Mattapoisett Harbor to the paved path of Water Street, 109 athletes swam, biked and ran through town while competing in the Mattapoisett Lions Club Triathlon.

“This is something like Harbor Days [where] everybody who participates in it looks forward to it,” said Rob Haley, race organizer and president of the Mattapoisett Lions Club.

The event commenced at Mattapoisett Town Beach, where athletes plunged into the water at 8 a.m. and swam 0.25 miles toward the bike station.

From there, competitors hastily stripped away their wet suits, mounted their bikes and set course on a 10 mile ride heading north along Acushnet Road.

Following the bike portion of the event, participants dismounted, threw on their running shoes and darted down Water Street heading toward Ned’s Point Lighthouse on a 3.1 mile run.

According to Haley, this year’s triathlon was “definitely sold out.”

“There were no bike racks left. We hit our max which is great because when we do that, it’s more money for charity which is awesome,” he said. 

Money from the event benefits the Lions Club, which provides scholarships and various resources to families in the community, including groceries and clothing.

Competitors and organizers categorize the event as a “spring triathlon,” meaning it is shorter than a standard triathlon. This allows for casual participants and more experienced athletes to both enjoy the event.

“You get some serious people but you get a lot of community people that just love to do it,” said Haley, adding that “it’s something for everybody.”

20-year-old Chatham resident and first-time Mattapoisett Lions Club Triathlon competitor Tyler Wright was the overall winner of the three-part race, finishing with a time of 52:26.

Wright started participating in triathlons last June, stating that he was inspired by one of his friend’s dads who used to compete in the multifaceted races.

“I was like, ‘All right, screw it. I’ll give it a chance. Like, why not? Can’t be that bad,’” he said. “And then after my first race, I just was like, ‘Oh my gosh, [this] is the best thing ever!’”

This was Wright’s first time ever winning a triathlon.

“I’m pretty happy I won. I’ve never won before [...] so that feels really great. I’ve been waiting so many months and days so that feels great,” he said.

Emily Cluck of Providence placed first in the overall female category, finishing with a time of 1:00:04. This was her third time returning to the Mattapoisett triathlon, having previously competed in 2022 and 2023.

Cluck emphasized that she enjoys the low pressure environment of the event.

“I think it’s just fun because you don’t have to be really good at each individual discipline. You just have to piece them all together,” she said. “For me, it’s just fun to be able to challenge myself in something that isn’t work and something that doesn't really matter. It’s just for fun!”

Haley thanked the volunteers and Mattapoisett emergency service teams for their help in ensuring a safe environment for the competitions.

“The worst thing that happened today was a flat tire,” he said.

The top three overall male winners were Wright, Tyler Young with a time of 53:13 and Keith Ballard with a time of 54:48.

The top three female winners were Cluck, Olivia Siegel with a time of 1:02:31 and Christine Monaghan with a time of 1:02:54.

The full list of results can be found online at https://my.raceresult.com/352861/results#1_58B07D.