Willow Creek Triathlon is a Familly Affair

By SANDRA RHODES

The Willow Creek Triathlon has been a family affair for the Confer family since the event started six years ago. And this year is no different.

The family patriarch, Wade Confer, leads the charge into the event, which will be held on Saturday, Aug. 6. The sprint triathlon starts with a 300-yard swim in Quaker Lake in Allegany State Park, N.Y., followed by a 15-mile bicycle ride on Route 280, which turns into Route 346, to the Corydon Hotel. A three-mile run to the Willows Restaurant finishes the race.

Confer, 77, will be part of a team with 17-year-old granddaughter Rachel and 8-year-old grandson, Ethan Varner. Rachel will swim while Confer will do the bike portion with Ethan doing the running. They hope to channel some luck off the team’s name - 7-17-77 – after the ages of all the participants. While Ethan is currently 8, he was 7 years old when the team was conceived.

And they are not the only family members participating.

Rachel’s 15-year-old sister Ann is competing well as Ethan’s parents, Sonny and Melanie Varner of Allensville. Rachel and Ann’s father, Dave Confer, is also participating.

The younger set trains practically throughout the year by participating in the swim team, track and softball. Confer usually starts his bicycle training two months before the triathlon. He would like to run, but is limited to bicycling due to his knees. This, however, does not keep him from expecting great things in the future.

“When I am 80, I am going to do all three,” said Confer, who once walked from Bradford to Kane and back when “a 50-mile walk was the fad.”

“I look forward to it because I am still able to do it,” he said.

The girls, on the other hand, think otherwise at times.

“Every time I finish I say I am not going to do this again, but I still do,” Ann said.

Melanie Varner loves to swim and bike, but is “not crazy about running. I would prefer swimming the three miles rather than running.”

Why do they do it each year, one may ask.

“Did you read the paper today, that’s why,” Confer said, referring to the news that Staff Sgt. Kenneth VanGiesen of Kane died July 18 while fighting in Afghanistan. The Confer family is also friends with the Maholic family. The top male and female winners receive the Thom Maholic Award given in memory of the master sergeant who died in 2006 while also fighting in Afghanistan.

They also do it for the veterans – Confer himself is one, serving after the Korean Conflict – and had brothers that served in World War II and the Korean Conflict.

“This is exactly why the triathlon was started in the first place,” said committee member Shane Oschman. “We want to help veterans and give something back to those who fought for our freedom. We also want to take a moment and remember those who were not able to come back home.”

Even if people cannot participate in the actual event, they are encouraged to line the route and cheer on those competing.

“We have had great support from our community,” said Oschman, adding that whether it’s buying raffle tickets or a specially made Willow Creek Triathlon lighter. “This is a great community that does not hesitate in helping others who may need it. There is, perhaps, no better group to support than the veterans who have impacted our lives whether we realize it or not.”

Varner, who has done the race each year, came in first one year and was given the award named after her friend.

“It was quite an honor, quite emotional,” she said, adding she offered the knife to Maholic’s son, Andrew, who declined. Last year, she participated as a team with her husband, Sonny, and son, Ethan.

“He liked it and couldn’t wait to do it again,” she said of Ethan. “He keeps asking ‘how much longer to the triathlon?’”

Eventually, he plans on doing to the event all by himself.

Confer’s other son, Daniel and his wife, Beckie, also usually participate in the event, but are not able to this year.

“I am very proud of my family – children and grandchildren,” Confer said. “It’s a good cause.”
The Gunter family, who lives out Willow Creek way, will also participate. Scott and Mary Gunter, along with their sons, Jonah, 14, and Ben, 13, join in the cause because they think it’s fun and also for a good cause.

Besides, “it goes right by our house,” Scott Gunter said, joking.

Last year, there were 255 participants in the event which grows exponentially each year. So far this year, about 280 people have pre-registered.

“We are very excited and proud to see what this triathlon has become,” Oschman said. “We owe it all to the sponsors and participants. Without them, there would be no triathlon."

Pictured, Wade Confer is flanked by two of his granddaughters, 17-year-old Rachel, on the left, and Ann, 15. These three plus many other family members will participate in the Sixth Annual Willow Creek Triathlon on Aug. 6. The sprint triathlon starts with swimming at Quaker Lake in Allegany State Park, N.Y., followed by biking to the Corydon Hotel,then running to the Willows Restaurant on West Washington Street.Proceeds from the triathlon benefit the Disabled American Veterans in McKean and Warren counties.

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