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Squiggy Classic Benefits County Parks

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@tampatrib.com

Published: February 28, 2009

It's not the Olympics, but for some local fitness enthusiasts, the annual Squiggy Classic is nearly as much fun.

Three Hillsborough County parks - Morris Bridge, Trout Creek and Flatwoods - will play host to the Fifth Annual Squiggy Classic from March 13-15.

The festival includes an assortment of competitions and activities, including a six-hour adventure race, in-line skating, cross-country trial runs, mountain biking and on-road bike races. More than 1,400 people participated in last year's festival.

There's also a night canoe paddle along the Hillsborough River and an "Iron Squiggy" competition that incorporates several of the different events into one endurance race.

John Brill, spokesman for the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department, says the high-profile three-day festival helps introduce visitors to parts of the park they may not have known about before, such as the paved bike loop at Flatwoods.

"It shows people all of these activities that you can do at our parks the rest of the year," he says.

The festival raises money for the Friends of the Hillsborough County Parks, a group whose squirrel mascot gave the event its quirky name.

The Parks Department and Wilderness Trails Association are the official sponsors of the Squiggy Classic. A variety of local groups are coordinating individual events. Registration fees and deadlines vary according to each event.

For information, visit www.squiggyclassic.org.

Mary Shedden

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