Barb’s Tri competitors set to take to the streets of Healdsburg Saturday

Triathletes running to support cancer patients will be swimming, running and bicycling near Healdsburg today in the new version of Barb’s Tri, a women-only race formerly affiliated with the local Vineman race series.

The competition, featuring various distances, will start at 7 a.m. with setup beginning about two hours earlier.

The start, transition and finish all take place at Veterans Memorial Beach in Healdsburg, as does the parking.

Athletes will dive in at the beach for a loop that heads toward Healdsburg and back.

Once back, they transition to bikes, and head out to Old Redwood Highway, then ride out and back on Eastside Road. A longer ride goes out to where Westside Road and River Road meet in the West County.

The run routes follow out-and-back courses on Bailhache Avenue east of the Russian River.

Most of the action should be over by midday and the post-race celebration is set to finish at 2 p.m.

Formerly Barb’s Race, the event is a fundraiser for cancer patients that is returning after a one-year hiatus.

It was dropped when Ironman-brand triathlon company bought the locally run Vineman race series in 2015.

You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 707-521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.