Dunes City races, screens and pumps
June 11, 2022 — This Saturday, June 11, Dunes City will once again be hosting the Oregon Dunes Triathlon & Duathlon, the first open water triathlon of the season in Oregon.
In addition to being the first open water triathlon, it is also the first USAT sanctioned event of the season and the only Olympic distance triathlon on the Oregon Coast.
The event is once again produced by Best in the West Events and includes four different courses with differing elements allowing more choices for participants.
The main event, the Triathlon, begins with a swim in Lake Woahink followed by a bike race along the roads in Dunes City and a run through the forested trails of Honeyman Park. The race finishes with a difficult climb up the Oregon Dunes.
Spectators are welcome to attend, and race day sign-ups are encouraged.
There are multiple race courses available for entrants that are participating as professionals and those that are competing for personal satisfaction. The Sprint course is comprised of a 750 meter swim, 10.5 mile bike ride and a 3.1 mile run. The Olympic course is a sanctioned Triathlon with a 1500 meter swim, a 24.8 mile bike ride and a 6.1 mile run.
The Duathlon course has two options for participants — a 10.5 mile bike ride followed by a 3.1 mile run or a 24.8 bike ride and a 6.1 mile run.
The water temperatures in Lake Woahink at this time of year is expected to be in the upper 50s and the forecast calls for morning precipitation with clearing, partly sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s.
The Oregon Dunes race produced by Best in the West Events, the brainchild of Oregon State product Blair Bronson, who was a long distance runner at OSU and has a great familiarity with the area.
Dunes City staff and city council also want to remind residents that all city water meters must be replaced by Oct. 1, 2022, and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) mandated fish screens must be installed by the same date.
Contracted workers will be contacting property owners to schedule a time to replace regular water meters radio-read meters.
The process for replacing or installing fish screens is more involved and requires property owners to hire plumbers to record the make, model and size of the installed pump.
Property owners must also take a picture with the fish screen on the pump and set the pump up on a stand and set it in the lake. If the pump is on land, pull the intake from the lake, install the fish screen and take photo before returning the intake into the lake.
There is a tax credit available for the costs associated with the purchase and installation of the fish screen, which, if approved by the ODFW, will reimburse property owners for 50% of the costs.
For more information on required changes to water meters and fish screens, see the Dunes City website at dunescityhall.com or call 541-997-3336.