NRG Games Weekend will feature triathlons for the extreme seekers and beginners

Two New River Gorge triathlons will offer up triple the challenges along one of the oldest rivers in the world.
New River Gorge Games Weekend, August 4-5, is a chance for highly trained triathletes and beginners alike to test their limits.
The legendary Captain Thurmond’s Challenge is a 28.5 mile triathlon featuring equally challenging portions of biking, paddling and running through the national river area. Participants begin with a 15-mile bike ride beginning in downtown Fayetteville, quickly transitioning from hard-top to some of the best trails the gorge has to offer. Racers will then transition to the river at the Cunard put-in of the Lower New to begin the paddling portion, traversing seven miles of some of the best Class 3-5 rapids on the East Coast. At the Fayette Station take-out, paddlers will move into the final leg of the triathlon for a relatively short 6.5-mile run, however it includes an intense 1,100-ft. elevation gain to the finish line.
Registration for the triathlon is at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 4, and the race will begin at 10 a.m.
Not quite ready to take the challenge? Watch racers finish in downtown Fayetteville where music, snacks and more will be happening around the finish line.
Triathletes who are just getting started on the competition circuit can try out the Thurmond Triathlon on Sunday, August 5.
This beginner level triathlon is open to anyone age 7 or older, and also includes a family division. This almost 6-mile race starts off with a 2-mile bike ride to Stonecliff. There, racers will put-in on the New River for a 1.5 mile paddle to the Dun Glen Day Use area. The final stage of the race features a two-mile loop run around the historic town of Thurmond.
Race begins shortly after the 10:30 a.m. meeting for participants.
Which challenge are you going to take?