NORWAY — Online registration for the eighth annual Norway Triathlon, set for Saturday, July 11, is open.

There are miles of messy road shoulders to melt before biking and running are safe, not to mention several feet of dense ice to thaw in Pennesseewassee Lake before swimming is enticing.

Although winter training is challenging, online registration for the Norway Triathlon is open on active.com.

A USAT sanctioned sprint event, the Norway Triathlon includes a 1k swim from Pennesseewassee Park beach, an 18k bike up to the Richardson Hollow Road and back along the Greenwood Road, and a 5k run that includes the Libby Trail at Roberts Farm Preserve.

A sprint event, the Norway Tri, presents a challenging course for elite competitors and offers a friendly community atmosphere that is welcoming and supportive for first-time triathletes. Competitors may compete as individuals or as a three-person team.

Organized by the Norway Triathlon Committee, the event is a major annual fundraiser for the Western Foothills Land Trust. Kelsey Goldsmith, of Lovell and Paris, public relations, is managing corporate sponsorships for the Norway Triathlon this year.

The tri, which attracts athletes from all over Maine and New England primarily, is scheduled the same day as the Norway Arts Festival, to enhance both events and to celebrate Norway as a healthy, creative community.

Triathlon course maps and event information are on www.norwaytri.com. For additional information, contact 739-2124.