Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
Mary Kaminski presented to Houghton’s City Council Wednesday night on plans to create a new endurance event. She wants to name it the Verna Mize Triathlon and her proposal would create two courses, one for kids under 16 and another for adults. The longer route would feature a half mile swim looping from the staging grounds near Kestner Waterfront Park to the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. An eight-mile bike route and eight-kilometer run would take participants out to Schmidt’s Corner, then east to the Great Lakes Research Center before returning to the race headquarters.
The council was enthusiastic about the proposal, but deferred to City Manager Eric Waara and Police Chief John Donnelly on ensuring the logistics could work. On Thursday, Lieutenant Nick Roberts said the city department would need to coordinate with the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office and potentially the Coast Guard as well.
Roads would have to be shut down, but Roberts said the proposed route on the water would make that a minimal issue, especially on a Saturday morning, which is when Kaminski hopes to host it. Crowd size is the other wild card.
Kaminski wants to have the race on Saturday, August 7th, one day after Michigan Tech has its annual alumni gathering, something that is traditionally well attended.
