The presented photo picture is a previous Cassadagamman event held in the village.
CASSADAGA – As summer hits home, Wilson Endurance Sports has a strong end to events this month and into September.
On Saturday, the frickin’ hot 50K event will return for another year, with proceeds from that event being donated to the Chautauqua County Fire Police. Mark Wilson, head of Wilson Endurance Sports, said he is grateful for all that the organization does for them throughout their years of events, and looks forward to giving back to them every year.
“They are great friends and they give us a lot of support,” Wilson said. “Every year we give them a nice check.”
One of the best environments you’ll find at the Wilson Endurance Sports event next Saturday is the Cassadaga Kids Triathlon. Young people ages 4 to 14 can participate in the event, which includes a 100-yard swim, a three-mile bike ride, and a one-mile run. Wilson said her children are coming from the tri-state area of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as children from Ohio.
“It’s always a lot of fun,” Wilson said. “We have pancakes at the end for the kids and local sponsors give out juice boxes.”
The first year of the event has grown from 15 kids to 100 kids now as we come to the fourth iteration.
For safety reasons, Wilson said parents are allowed to attend any part of the event with their children, and provide fluorescent orange vests to help with safety with any potential traffic. Wilson also wanted to thank the Chautauqua County Fire Police for their assistance in organizing this event.
Finally, during Labor Day weekend, on September 3, the Cassadagman Half Triathlon will be held for the third year running. Around 130 athletes from several states including California will be present to participate in the event. Wilson said he made a big push for national advertising, and was even featured in USA Triathlon magazine and Hammer Nutrition from Montana gave Wilson Endurance Sports a big push as well.
“We expect it to grow in the future,” Wilson said. “We’re not in a hurry, but we’ll do what we do.”
The Half Triathlon features a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run. Individuals as well as teams are welcome to participate in the competition.
CassadagaMan’s first year was 2020, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of that they were able to adhere to both local and national guidelines, the Cassadagman was the only half-triathlon run in the United States in 2020.
While about 130 athletes will compete, Wilson said the cap for the event is 300 runners, meaning there’s still plenty of room.
More information about Wilson Endurance Sports, including their full event schedule, can be found at https://coachmarkwilson.com/.