Eunice Rotary Zydeco Triathlon attracts record number of athletes

A record number of athletes participated in the 13th annual Eunice Rotary Zydeco Triathlon Saturday.
Donald Richard, one of the organizing Rotarians, said there were 167 pre-registrations and 15 registrations the day of the race.
“Previously we were around 130 to 140,” he said.
David Reed, race director, said in an email, “We were pleased this year at the amount of people that came to Eunice from other areas. We estimate about 30 people that booked local hotel rooms Friday night.”
The triathlon benefits the Eunice Community Health Center. Last year $7,000 was raised for the center and Reed expects about the same from this year’s event.
Saturday morning turned stormy, but the triathlon continued.
“The weather did not affect the event,” Reed said in his email. “As a matter of fact, one triathlete, as he was leaving with his bike (in the rain), told me, ‘You gotta love this sport huh?!’ We had slight rain on-and-off until the very end. We had to rush the award ceremony due to approaching lightning.”
Richard said the participants love the race.
“Every year it just keeps growing and growing,” he said. “LSUE is a beautiful facility. It is a perfect place to have it.”
The triathlon started with a 150 -meter swim followed by a 10-mile bike ride and, finally, a 2-mile run.
Female open winners were Jamie Scott, first, 46:26.5; April Williams, second, 52:00.9; and Stacy St. Cyr, third, 52:24.
Male open winners were Bryan Girouard, first, 42:38.5; Randy Biggs, second, 42:44; and Jake O’Brien, third, 43:00.9.
Cities represented included Lake Charles, Metairie, Crandall, Texas, Luling, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Madisonville, New Orleans, Ragley, Sulphur, Vidor, Texas, Destrehan, Elton, Moss Bluff, Slidell, Alexandria, Broussard, Kemah, Texas, Harahan, Jefferson, Hammond, Maurice, Geismar, New Iberia, Galveston, Texas, Lockport, Carencro, Abbeville, Paragould Arkansas, Vinton, Pineville, Deville, Breaux Bridge, Zachary, Hornbeck, Houma, Opelousas, Duson, Walker, Covington, Church Point, Berwick, Thibodaux, Marrerro, St Francisville and Deridder.