Athletes took part in the triathlon portion of Saskatoon’s three-day Be Like Bruce Fitness Festival on Saturday, the second day of competition, to raise money for pancreatic cancer research.
The fitness festival, which combines CrossFit competition and triathlon, is a tribute to a local Ironman competitor Bruce Gordon, who passed away in 2017. The triathlon took place at Riversdale Pool and Victoria Park.
“We have 120 CrossFit athletes participating today and 80 individuals,” race director Lacey Schroeder said.
“We’ve got 200 athletes out here today, which is incredible; that many people coming together to honour Bruce, and to make sure that our donation to cancer research is even bigger.”
WATCH: (June 2018) Be Like Bruce triathlon remembers Bruce Gordon
“Last night (there was) CrossFit, today the triathlon and tomorrow it’s CrossFit again,” Bruce’s widow, Chris Gordon, said. “The community has just come together and been a tremendous support, and all of the athletes are enjoying each and every moment being out here.”
All of the money raised from the festival will go towards research on pancreatic cancer, which claimed Bruce’s life in 2017.
“I’m so proud of what we’re doing, how we’re bringing awareness to what Bruce meant to our community and raising awareness to pancreatic cancer, and raising donations and funds towards pancreatic cancer research, and the funding that we’re raising stay right here in Saskatoon,” Chris said.
For Bruce’s son James, a CrossFit athlete and participant in the fitness festival, the event is about more than honouring Bruce’s memory: it’s carrying on his legacy.
“I think the thing that I strive for is to make the community a better place,” James said.
“Bruce had a saying, ‘it’s community above all else,’ so that’s the mentality that I’m trying to live by. It’s putting the community (above) everyone and making sure I do anything to help out. Living his legacy, I don’t think I really compare up to it, but it’s good.”
Comments