Ready, set, GO! Early Conchman competitors get prepared to start the
beginning leg of the Conchman Triathlon on Xanadu Beach. This years event
will be held at Taino Beach, starting at 8am, on Saturday November 3rd, 2007.
Looking back on the Conchman Triathlon
The Conchman Triathlon, scheduled for November 3rd, 2007, is considered a
great race that got off to a good start from the very beginning, almost 16
years ago. In 1986, principal organizers and founders, Ambrose Gouthro, Bert
Bell and Craig Stewart saw the potential of having a Bahamian triathlon and
decided to launch it after seeing the success of the Iron Man triathlons in
Hawaii and Bermuda.
Mr. Gouthro and Mr. Stewart, then presidents of the Rotary Club of Lucaya
and Rotary Club of Freeport, respectively, aimed to create a positive
community event that would contribute to charitable organizations, which
still stands in effect today.
The Conchman provided an activity where Grand Bahama residents and
visitors could come together to compete, build and maintain a healthy,
physical and mental body. And to raise funds for Grand Bahama Rotary Club
projects, BASRA and Freeport Aquatics Club," says Mr. Gouthro. At the time,
Mr. Gouthro says the proceeds of the event also went to the Polio Plus
Organisation, which was, and still is, dedicated to eradicating polio in the
world.
Mr. Gouthro and Mr. Stewart can't remember who came up with the name,
Conchman, however it is generally regarded to have been Bert Bells creation.
The first race was held at Xanadu Beach and consisted of the present
distances, 1000 metre (half a mile) swim, 25km (15 miles) bike ride and a
5km (3 miles) run. According to Mr. Stewart, 166 persons participated with a
fair number of entries from North America and Canada. There were 30
individual entries and 44 team entries that participated but of course only
one winner in each category.
That year in the individual category, David Morley from Nassau, captured
first place overall followed by Shalton Barr and David Bell, who also won
the boys 12 and under, Iron Kids division. Among the women, Julie Ryan came
first in the ladies division and 12th overall, followed by Leah Malcolm, who
captured first in the girls 12 and under, Iron Kids division. In the team
finals, the Freeport Rugby Club, EMR Rushers and St. Pauls’ A came first,
second and third respectively.
Even Mr. Stewart had a taste of the Conchman over the years and enjoyed
participating in the swim leg of the team division. Mr. Gouthro who favoured
the run relays recalls fondly of participating with the Lucaya team and
beating his rival, a team member of the Freeport Club. "I remember looking
back (when I was running) and he (the Freeport Club member) was right there
and then when I looked again he was nowhere to be found. The Conchman was a
lot of fun," says Mr. Gouthro, who credited the success of the event to the
organizers and participants.
Other persons who made the Conchman possible in its early stages were Donna
Long, Bernie Butler, John Bradley, Remar Sutton and Marva Munroe of the
Grand Bahama Island Promotion Board. It was through the collaborative
efforts of the GBI Promotion Board, and advertising in triathlon magazines
abroad, that helped bring visitors to the Grand Bahamian shores, and in
1998, 180 persons from the USA came to participate.
Over the next few years, the Conchman moved from Xanadu Beach to the former
Holiday Inn, now Our Lucaya and then to its present location at Taino Beach,
where it has garnered a lot of support and participation.
The upcoming Conchman promises to be an exciting, challenging and fun race
for persons of all ages to enjoy. With the "potential to be bigger and
better", the Conchman has come a long way in becoming one of The Bahamas’
most respected and well-liked sports, hopefully for many years to come.
