Daily Commercial Article
Clermont is a Tri Mecca for athletes
Triathletes like the training and the lifestyle here
ROXANNE BROWN
http://www.dailycommercial.com/localnews/story/092509triathletes
CLERMONT — The triathlon geeks have voted, and Clermont is near the front of the pack of best places to live for triathletes. The city was ranked eighth in the October issue of Triathlete Magazine.
“We didn’t use a scientific formula to put together this list,” read an editor’s note preceding the Top 20 list. “We didn’t worry whether or not certain areas of the country were adequately represented. We just put a few of the world’s biggest tri geeks in a conference room and asked ourselves one question: If you were moving, and triathlon training was the main criteria dictating your decision, where should you go?”
According to the magazine, Clermont — chosen as number eight under the subcategory of Best Facilities — was credited with building a reputation as one of the country’s true tri meccas.
“With quiet roads, rolling terrain and year-round training, Clermont has plenty of upsides,” said the magazine, citing athletes such as Jarrod Shoemaker, Lisa Bentley, Sara Haskins and Nina Craft as fans of the area.
Kevin Grogan, a local triathlete, can add his own testimonial. He moved to Clermont with his wife Kimberly to train for an elite development team.
“That was six years ago and we just never left,” Grogan said. “Just about everything a pretty serious triathlete wants, Clermont has. It’s just the lifestyle here and so many positives — the hills, great weather, the National Training Center pool, the many lakes …”
Grogan also said that between the NTC — which the magazine article dubbed “Disneyland for triathletes” — and Sommer Sports — a company that for 26 years has brought races to the area — there is a race for every distance during the year and just about one race every weekend in the summer.
In addition, Dr. Mike Ray, who heads the NTC’s Sports Medicine Institute, is credited for having the vision to bring triathlon related human performance training/testing to the Clermont area.
Grogan said Clermont is also very central to other Florida cities that hold races during the year.
“We’d love for other triathletes to learn about Clermont, visit and maybe even move here,” Grogan said.
Fred Sommer, owner/president of Sommer Sports, said he was glad to see Clermont on the list since there is no other single venue in the world that holds as many races in a year as Clermont.
Grogan said for the triathletes who live here, that means not having to travel if they don’t want to, and still getting in the specific distance and type race they are looking for.
Sommer also said the article served to get Clermont in the minds of athletes who have never trained or raced here.
Former Olympian Dr. Dot Richardson, the NTC’s director and medical director, said she believes that the NTC is a testament to how South Lake Hospital, of which the NTC is a part, is committed to health and wellness within the community.
Richardson said she is aware of many prominent athletes who train at the center.
The only warnings the article mentioned were the rains Clermont is notorious for and the nearly 100 percent humidity in the summer.
For South Lake Chamber President Ray San Fratello, the article is like gold.
“Anytime you get an article in a national publication, it’s gold and we’ve got to jump on it,” San Fratello said. “What’s neat about it from our standpoint, too, is that if you look at the Top 10, we are the number one east of the Mississippi River and out of all the different places, Clermont’s been named to have the best facilities.”
San Fratello said articles such as this help in the areas of marketing and economic development.
“So it’s not only folks in Lake County recognizing one of our strengths. It needs to be nurtured as a great place to live, raise a family and hopefully build on the sports niche of ours in South Lake,” he said.