The Lake Zurich Triathlon was a great event for many years always with over 1000 entrants. The event was sold before the '08 edition. The new owners couldn’t come to terms with the local homeowners association and moved the venue up the road to Bangs Lake. The story is easily found with a web search including a group putting on a rival race at the old venue. I did Bangs yesterday. A great venue and a well run race, but only 378 ahtletes? What happened. Is this a case of a great race falling because of politics? What a shame.
It sounds like there are now two races competing against each other. The economy could also be a part of it.
well, not exactly two races competing against each other any more, since the Lake County Triathlon (original venue for Lake Zurich Tri) did not happen at all this year:
http://www.mychicagoathlete.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=BFEF7D2C49B6491EBE295ACD1C805EFD&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=E364C3626B8A46B093D95281FD10CD3E
Kudos to the organizers of the Bangs Lake Tri for undertaking the move to a new venue in 08 and still pulling off a first-class event. I think we will see their numbers come back up in time .
If you include the duathlon, aquabike, and tri relays there were about 540 participants. Not a huge race but nothing to sneeze at.
Although I did not like the run course changes this year, I think Bang’s Lake is just as good as LZ ever was.
No doubt. Paul and the crew at Running Away put on great events, it is just a shame that folks had to start stirring the pot (folks being a neighborhood association). As for numbers - pretty much every race this year has seen falling numbers.
I guess that is what irks me the most, that the pot was stirred when everything was so nicely in place. It was a great race and would love to see it grow in Wauconda since I live close by and my kids are even in the Wauconda school district… The Naperville tri numbers were up. (same weekend, 50 miles south) so I don’t know if economy was a factor. I don’t like to see the southwest burbs doing better than the northwest. We’ll kick their backsides anyday!
See what a bit of greed got the neighborhood…a net loss! 
Last year was only 265 people so I think they’re actually doing all right. I raced both years and think it’s a good race. The bike’s about a mile short and they could use a few more racks in transition, but that’s nitpicking. I liked the new run course better. It felt a little hillier and yesterday it was hotter than the gates of hell, but I don’t like to do 2 loops on a 10K. I’ll definitely be back next year.
I actually much prefer the bangs lake bike course even though it is a bit short.
The swim was long and man is it hard to sight with the sun right in your face.
Lots and lots of politics. A friend of mine was behind starting the Bangs race who did a lot of work and was “cut out” of the deal according to her.
Follow the money trail and you will find the answers according to her and the others involved.
This is the slimy underbelly of triathlon for sure.
Is the Bangs Lake Triathlon now dead? It doesn’t appear on RAM Racings website and I believe they have run the event the last few years.
It’s dead. They are doing BigFoot 2x now. Not sure how much the above politics had a hand in it.
There is still Lake Zurich & Wauconda tris tho.
Noticed the same thing over the weekend…did the Aquabike last year and enjoyed the race (well, except for my flats, but that was my fault).
Hope the race is not dead.