Today's Flatland Kids Triathlon Festival is a first for Iowa

Event is only qualifying event for national U.S. Triathlon competition

DES MOINES, IA (07/10/2010)(readMedia)-- More than 300 kids from 26 different states are ready to race at the Flatland Kids Triathlon Festival, presented by Bank Iowa, today, July 10. The fun kicks off with a junior elite female race at 7 a.m. and continues until the award ceremony at 3 p.m.

The event was moved to West Des Moines due to flooding at Gray's Lake Park. Parking, the start line and transitions will be at West Des Moines City Hall, 4200 Mills Civic Parkway, and the swim portion of the event will be in the lake north of city hall. As a proud sponsor, Des Moines University has provided its mobile clinic to house medical services for the event.

The following road closures will accommodate the event today, 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. :

• South 35th, between Mills Civic Pkwy and Fuller Rd.

• Fuller Rd. between S. 35th and Mills Civic Pkwy.

Two-way traffic will be routed down one side of Mills Civic Pkwy between Fuller Rd. and S. 35th St.

The festival is the first of its kind in the area. A day-long event for ages 6 through 19, the event will include four elite athlete draft-legal races and three races for new triathletes.

The Flatland Tri, presented by Bank Iowa, has been designated a USA Triathlon Youth Elite and Junior Elite Cup Race and is the only qualifying event for the National United States Triathlon competition in San Diego in August. Visit www.FlatlandKidsTrifest.com to find out more information.

The event is also sponsored by Action Accents, American Equity Insurance Company, Anderson Erickson Dairy, Children and Families of Iowa, Clif Bar, Des Moines University, DSM Tri, Elder Corporation, Iowa Events Center, Iowa Network Services, MidAmerican Energy, Nuun, Scion of Des Moines, Speedo, TMC Transportation, Ume Compete and the YMCA.

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ElitaEvents is an experienced multi-sport event production company in Iowa. They organize the Jordan Creek Duathlon, Copper Creek Triathlon, Big Creek Tri 29, D.O.athlon for Life, among others. Their staff includes a USAT Certified Race Director and ITU official.

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Bank Iowa is a group of independent banks with 24 locations in 21 communities across the state. Each Bank Iowa offers the services of a large financial institution, but operates as a community bank in which decisions are made locally. The Bank Iowa locations are affiliates of Bank Iowa Corporation, a privately owned bank holding company headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, with combined assets of $1 billion.