Annual Leadman triathlon race is today!

KELLOGG — Silver Mountain’s annual Leadman triathlon race takes place today and the event is once again shaping up to be a terrific one.

The annual bike, ski, and run event has continuously grown over the years, and with the current registrations, the 2018 event is set to be the biggest one ever.

Some new sponsorship from some familiar faces has also helped ensure the event’s growth.

“This year we have over 200 competitors signed up making it the biggest Leadman event in the past five years,” Silver Mountain resort representative Siobhan Ebel said. “We’ve brought on a new title sponsor this year, Local Real Estate, owned by Neal and Karey Scholey. This is really exciting for us because Neal and Karey started Leadman in 2005.”

The race begins at Kellogg Peak on Silver Mountain early today when the first flight of competitors will run about 200 feet to click into their gear for approximately 1-mile of skiing/snowboarding to the mountain bike transition point.

At that stage, competitors will don their riding gear and mountain bikes to brave the cold (and probably muddy) course that will lead toward Kellogg, where the run begins.

Following the bike, the run portion will bring contestants to the finish line at Silver Mountain.

Leadman is a Rotary Event and has used the event in the past to raise more than $118,000 for community projects and nonprofit organizations including health and wellness fairs, youth sports organizations and clubs, animal rescues, community improvement projects, Special Olympics, the backpack lunch program, and many more.

100 percent of the proceeds that are raised from Leadman go to local charities.

Historically, the races have gone anywhere between 50 minutes and two hours. The Leadman will begin this morning at 7 a.m. and will run until the final awards ceremony later this afternoon.