HERITAGE TRIATHLON ALREADY APPROACHING IRONMAN STANDARDS

The Heritage Invitational Triathlon may be a first-ever event, but several of its positive aspects are being mentioned in the same breath with the well-recognized Ironman Triathlon.

Granted, the Heritage is in its inaugural year as part of Provo's Freedom Festival celebration. And granted, the Ironman is the world championship triathlon held annually in Kona, Hawaii.But consider Heritage's prize money - a purse of $81,800. The overall men's and women's winners will receive $7,000 each, with the top 10 finishers in each men's and women's age divisions also awarded cash prizes.

According to Heritage Triathlon co-director Suzanne Borcherds, the top individual cash awards are not only more than double the average for most triathlons, but they start to approach Ironman standards.

No wonder that world-class triathletes such as Scott Tinley, Kirsten Hansen, Aaron Baker, Scott Molina and others have committed to partipate - and vie for the relatively big bucks.

And the Heritage will also double as the state triathlon championship and Ironman qualification meet. In addition to the two top overall winners in the male and female divisions, the three top finshers in both the men's and women's 40-and-older divisions also will automatically qualify for the Oct. 21 world championships.

However, Heritage is experiencing some first-year growing pains. "Do you have 10 hours?" mused Borcherds, as if ready to cite a long list of quirks and qualms.

However, she quickly added that first-time preparations and sponsor searches have been the most time-consuming details, with the current organization efforts laying the ground for the Heritage events in future years.

Plans for the July 4th event have been underway only since February, with the first-ever Heritage Triathlon the brainchild of Borcherd and her husband, Victor, who is a South African entrepreneur and majority owner of Heritage Mountain Resort.

His interest was the result in competing in the 1987 Ironman. And because he's qualified to return to Hawaii again this year, he'll sit out the Heritage and help as co-director.

While pre-registration has accounted for some 200 competitors, Heritage Triathlon officials are expecting a total contingent of 800. They cite their peers - organizers of other traithlons across the country - who say as much as 80 percent of applicants register in the week or two prior to the meet.