LAKE COUNTY – A new West Coast version of a popular triathlon series, American Triple-T Triathlon, is set to debut in Lake County, California, from Sept. 18-20.

HFP Racing, which presents the annual American Triple-T triathlon in Ohio each Memorial Day weekend, announced plans to expand from the East Coast venue to also include a second venue for the 2009 race season, to be held on the West Coast – in and around the community of Lakeport in

Northern California – and to be dubbed American Triple-T California.

“We are excited to bring this fantastic event to Lakeport, California, and to the West Coast, showcasing Clear Lake and the area that makes up this great region,” said Shannon Kurek, founder HFP Racing.

Lake County is known for its spectacular beauty, unsurpassed recreation, and a growing reputation for ultra-premium wines as it is located immediately adjacent to three of the most famous wine areas in

the United States – Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

The current American Triple-T is held in Portsmouth, Ohio, and is headed into its seventh year, and event organizers anticipate that the new American Triple-T California will become a classic throughout the West Coast.

The American Triple-T California will be a three-day, four-event, long-distance-format triathlon with participants competing on two-person teams or in the solo division. Kurek said the American Triple-T California will offer participants intimate camaraderie and a “red-carpet experience” rarely found in traditional triathlons.

“The American Triple-T California will have it all, from elite athletes to top age-groupers and weekend warriors. The American Triple-T California will truly be special for all participants, spectators, and the surrounding communities,” Kurek said.

Athletes interested in participating may register online at www.americantriple-t.com. The field will be limited to the first 500 registered participants, which means a very quick sell-out. The entry fee for the event is $300 per solo person or $600 for the two-person team.

Participating athletes will receive a race shirt, event towel, water bottle, and several other goodies provided by key partners and sponsors. Athletes who complete the race also will receive an exclusive

“finisher only shirt” that will place them in a select group of athletes throughout the world.

In an effort to give back to local communities, HFP Racing offers fundraising opportunities to local community non-profit groups enabling those groups to earn $10 per race-day volunteer. Volunteer hosts willing to provide overnight housing also are needed. In addition, businesses can get involved through a wide variety of sponsorship options.

For information about the event or for volunteer, hosting, and sponsorship opportunities, contact Tasha Magana, American Triple-T race coordinator, at 707-533-3043.

{mos_sb_discuss:2}